DINDIGUL: There is a drop in green gram cultivation in Dindigul district with farmers citing low procurement price from traders as the major reason.
According to official records (gross cropped area), 3,072 hectares (2014-2015), 2,456 hectares (2015-16), 2,301 hectares (2016-2017), 2,154 hectares (2017-2018), 1,381 hectares (2018-2019), 1,287 hectares (2019-2020), 1,206 hectares (2020-2021), 1,099 hectares (2021-2022), 1,010 hectares (2022-23), 1,020 hectares (2023-24), 800 hectares (2024-25) were cultivated with green gram.
Speaking to TNIE, Tamil Nadu Uzhavar Pathukappu Amaippu state secretary R Kalidas said, "Traders and dealers offer Rs 45 to Rs 50 per kg of green gram, whereas Mochai Payaru (lima beans) and Tatta Payaru (cow peas) can fetch over Rs 150 per kg. Besides, farmers can harvest two to three bags (100 kg) after sowing seeds across 60 cents of land. Many farmers still sow seeds as the input cost is only Rs 10,000 for an entire farmland (60 cents) and the crop period for the entire zone is three months."
He further said, "Frequent rains can disturb the crop as it requires less water. For the past five years there has been good rains, hence crops got damaged and few of the farmers who invested in these crops lost heavily."
P Jaganathan, a farmer from Palani said, "A good harvest means 800 to 1,000 kg can be produced per acre. Though input cost is just Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per acre, other charges are adding to the price. Farm labourers demand Rs 500 per day, and farmers face an uphill task of selling the produce to traders in the market."
Many farmers mentioned that pests attacks on green gram have increased. Peacocks prefer green gram to other kinds of beans, but officials claim peacocks infest all kinds of pulses and beans.
An official from the agriculture department said, "Green gram is a profitable crop and requires less input, such as fertilisers, and watering can be done in two phases. However, given the issues in cultivating green gram, many farmers have moved to maize in Palani. Some farmers include maize in crop rotation, but still there is an overall reduction on a district-level."