Visakhapatnam: Pineapple, jackfruit growers now get a transport facility

Visakhapatnam: Organic fruit farmers in Agency areas can now heave a sigh of relief as Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has taken a big leap to help them strengthen their livelihood.

In order to fetch a minimum support price (MSP) for the tribal farmers for their produce and remove the involvement of middlemen, the ITDA decided to provide a transport facility and help the farmers sell their produce directly to the consumers.

At present, the facility is provided to pineapple, custard apple and jackfruit growers. Elaborating further, ITDA project officer Gopalakrishna Ronanki says, "The tribal farmers are not getting remunerative price for their produce due to the presence of middlemen. The ITDA is facilitating vehicles to transport the fruits produced by the tribal farmers and thereby enhancing their livelihoods."

Many organic farmers in Chintapalli and Paderu regions find it difficult to reach Rythu Bazaars in Visakhapatnam to sell their produce. The transport facility launched recently by the ITDA will aid in bringing these farmers to the city. "It is very difficult to reach the Visakhapatnam market where we are assured to get good prices for our produce. But for this, we need to spend a minimum Rs 3,000 to load 1,000 to 1,500 pineapples in an auto-rickshaw. Though a pineapple in our hamlet is sold at Rs 5 or Rs 6, the same is being sold at Rs 20 in Visakhapatnam," explains Bonangi Manohar, a pineapple grower at Gondipakalu village of Chintapalli mandal.

However, many organic farmers in the villages of Agency areas feel that awareness on minimum support price and other subjects should be created among farmers so that they can be educated as well. Sharing his views, president of Indian Confederation Indigenous and Tribal people (ICIT) Gaduthuri Rama Gopal says, "Similar marketing facilities for organically grown fruits and commercial crops should be considered by the authorities. Farmers should be encouraged to form farmer production associations to market their produce."