SALEM: Farmers cultivating okra (ladies' finger) in and around Sangagiri in Salem are facing mounting losses following a sharp decline in market prices, with many growers claiming that the crop is no longer generating enough income to cover even basic costs involved in harvesting and transporting it to markets.
Large-scale cultivation of okra has been taken up across several villages in the Sangagiri region, including Thevur, Arasiramani, Kullampatti, Chettipatti, Kunjampalayam, Odasakkarai and Thanneedasanur. According to farmers, the crop is cultivated on nearly 500 acres in these areas and serves as an important source of livelihood for hundreds of farming families. Once harvested, the produce is usually purchased by traders from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who transport large quantities of the vegetable to wholesale markets across both states.
However, farmers said the situation has deteriorated drastically over the past week after prices witnessed a steep fall. They said the crop is currently fetching only around Rs 5 per kg, a rate that is far below the cost of cultivation and leaves little scope for recovering investments made on seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, labour and transportation.
Growers alleged that the prevailing prices are so low that harvesting the crop itself has become uneconomical. Many farmers said they are unable to recover even the expenses involved in engaging labourers to pluck vegetables and transport them to collection centres. As a result, several cultivators have stopped harvesting the crop altogether.
The impact of the price crash is also being felt by traders. Farmers claimed that in some instances, traders who had purchased okra from growers were unable to sell the produce and make a profit owing to weak demand and poor market conditions. Consequently, quantities of harvested vegetables were allegedly dumped in agricultural fields in areas such as Arasiramani and Kullampatti.
With no signs of prices improving in the immediate future, many farmers have begun allowing the crop to remain in the fields, where it eventually dries up and is used as organic manure. Farmers have urged the government to closely monitor the situation and take steps to provide relief to affected cultivators. They also called for measures to ensure remunerative prices for the crop.