KADAPA : Despite e-tender facility, turmeric farmers in the district are not getting remunerative price for their produce due to steep fall in prices. The turmeric crop was raised in 4,000 hectares in Mydukur, Duvvur, Chapadu and Pullampet mandals.
The farmers deplored that the traders were not coming forward to buy turmeric produce even at Rs 2,000 per quintal. At the same time, the ryots are unable to store their produce in godowns for a long time. The farmers, till recently, were hopeful that the State government would provide remunerative price for their crop, but their hopes have been dashed.
Speaking to TNIE, a group of farmers said that they invested Rs 1.25 lakh to raise turmeric crop in each acre and they got yield up to 30 quintals. The turmeric farmers anticipated that the new government would announce MSP at Rs 10,000. But, they are disappointed when the turmeric produce is not being purchased even at Rs 2,000 per quintal. The farmers said that the traders are not coming forward to purchase turmeric citing low quality.
“If the MSP is fixed at Rs 9,000 per quintal, we will get some profits as we spent up to Rs 1.25 lakh to raise the crop. But the produce is being purchased at Rs 2,000,” they lamented. Adding to their woes, the traders have formed a syndicate and fixing the prices. “We are forced to sell our produce at the prices being quoted by the traders. If we sell at that price, we will incur huge losses,” the farmers said.
The ryots said that they could preserve their turmeric produce in godowns up to five months. Later, the quality of produce starts declining as worms begin to eat it. The farmers preserved about 1.5 lakh quintals of turmeric produce in godowns anticipating better price in the coming days. They have to pay Rs 120 per quintal for storing their produce in the godowns. AP Rythu Sangam district general secretary G Chandra lamented that the turmeric farmers are incurring huge losses due to fall in prices.