Ryots a happy lot as traders come to fields to purchase produce

With traders coming to the fields to buy vegetables amidst lockdown, farmers are a happy lot as they get cash immediately.
For representational purposes (Photo | EPS)
For representational purposes (Photo | EPS)

NELLORE:  With traders coming to the fields to buy vegetables amidst lockdown, farmers are a happy lot as they get cash immediately. Normally, they have to transport their produce to nearby markets for selling it to local traders. The district received good rainfall this season and majority of the farmers cultivated vegetables as secondary crop along with paddy and other horticulture crops. The farmers cultivated vegetables in around 2,782 hectares across the district.

Majority of vegetable crops are grown in Nellore rural, Gudur, Atmakur and Naidupeta divisions. Not only traders, but also donors, NGOs and political leaders, who distribute vegetables during lockdown, have been contacting the farmers directly for procuring their produce from fields. The district imports carrot, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables. Similarly, locally grown brinjal, leafy vegetables, lady finger, drumstick, cluster bean and plantain are exported to other parts of the State from Nellore.

With transport restrictions, the farmers have started selling their produce to traders, who approach them directly. “We cultivated local variety of brinjal and tomato in 1.5 hectares. With ample water, we got good yield this season. We have to shift the produce to market and also to other parts of the State after striking a deal with traders. But this time, traders and other NGOs have directly contacted us and procured our produce,” said S Kamalakar, a farmer from Rajupalem.

He said that on field procurement of vegetables enabled them to save transportation costs. Meanwhile, the farmers are getting cash on the spot for their produce without any delay. Another farmer K Seenaiah from Gudur rural mandal, said that the demand for locally grown vegetables has increased during lockdown. “In fact, import of some vegetables has decreased compared to normal times,” he said. Local traders have been purchasing vegetables from farmers only with a slight margin from the market prices fixed by the government. The traders, who get vegetables from fields have been shifting them to locally arranged markets by the civic bodies and panchayats.

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