Kurnool: High price of onion brings cheer to farmers

Kurnool: Onion prices have hit all-time high of Rs 6,470 per quintal on Wednesday and it remains the same on Thursday.

This is the season's highest price the farmer secured for his produce in the last five years. While the high price brought cheer to farmers, high prices brought tears to the eyes of consumers.

The onions prices rose due to crop damage in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat States. Due to incessant rains in these states, almost 90 per cent onion crop was damaged.

Onion crop is largely cultivated in Kurnool apart from Anantapur and Kadapa. As against to 32,000 hectares previous year, the farmers raised the crop in 26,000 hectares this Khariff season.

Onion fetched between Rs150 to Rs 200 a quintal only three years. The farmers were then unable to repay the debts borrowed to raise the crop. Several farmers committed suicide.

Kurnool Agriculture Market Yard Marketing Manager Sathyanarayana Choudhary, speaking to The Hans India, said the price which was at Rs 6,470 per quintal was the season's highest. Presently arrivals had declined but are likely to occupy the market in the coming days. Of the expected 500 tonnes, up to 300 tonnes arrived by Wednesday. As far as the price is concerned it is likely to continue rise in first week of December.

Horticulture Department Assistant Director Raghunath Reddy said Kurnool is the largest producer of onions apart from Kadapa and Annantapur. The farmers of Kurnool district are very fortunate this year.