Guntur: Drastic fall in turmeric price worries farmers

Guntur: Turmeric prices have been steadily falling for the last few years due to inferior quality of yield and reduction in demand for the turmeric finger variety. Turmeric which was sold at Rs 10,000 per quintal in 2015, is now selling hardly at Rs 5,300 per quintal in the Duggirala Agriculture Market Yard (AMC).

Depending upon the quality of the turmeric finger, the traders purchase at a price ranging anywhere between Rs 4500 and Rs 5300 per quintal. Due to the falling of prices, the farmers kept four lakh bags of turmeric stocks in the cold storage units hoping to sell the same at a better price.

They are paying storing charges to the cold storage units and interest on the loans taken against stocks to the banks. Due to falling of prices, they are suffering heavy losses. The increase in the production of turmeric production is also one of the causes for falling price.

The turmeric season will start in Duggirala Agriculture Market Yard (AMC) in the next twenty days. The farmers from Krishna, Guntur and Kadapa districts will bring stocks to Duggirala Market Yard for sale.

The Turmeric season will continue three months from April. Recently, the State government announced that it will purchase turmeric at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 6,850 per quintal up to thirty quintals from each farmer to help the farmers. The government will set up turmeric purchase centre in the Agriculture Market Yard for the convenience of the farmers. The farmers who want sell the turmeric at the MSP in these centres to be set up AMC, should register their e-pass with the AMC. Duggirala Yard had already introduced E-NAM (Electronic-National Agriculture Market) in the State to get better price to the farmers. The amount will be credited directly into the bank accounts of the farmers.

A turmeric trader, B Srinivasa Rao, said, "Curcumin percentage in the turmeric finger 2% in AP, whereas in Kerala it is 4%. Maharashtra is producing good quality turmeric fingers. Turmeric season has already started in Nizambad. The farmers in the Telangana State will polish the turmeric finger so the traders will offer Rs1000 more per quintal comparing to AP. The Central government has a proposal to set up turmeric research centre in Duggirala. If the quality of turmeric is improved, the farmers will get a better price."

Another turmeric trader K Prasada Rao said "The farmers in Maharastra will get up to 40 quintals of turmeric yield per acre. In AP, the farmers will get 25 quintals to thirty quintals. Since 2015, every year, turmeric price had been falling by Rs 1000 per quintal. Turmeric was sold at Rs 10,000 per quintal in 2015, at present quality turmeric finger is selling at Rs 5,300. It is shame to the government. This indicates how turmeric farmers have been getting losses."