Middlemen exploiting pine apple ryots

Srikakulam:  Middlemen are exploiting the pine apple farmers in the agency areas of the district. Pine apple is being cultivated in upland areas of Sitampeta, Bhamini and Kotturu mandals in the district.

Pine apple harvesting season began in the third week of May and ends in August every year. Most of the pine apple farmers are tribals  and they are unable to carry their produce to urban and semi-urban areas to get good price.

Middlemen are cashing in on the situation and paying Rs 3 to Rs 5 for  each fruit for farmers. In turn, they are selling each fruit for Rs 15 to Rs 20 to customers basing on local demand in urban and semi-urban areas.

As it is seasonal fruit, customers are eagerly waiting to eat during every season. Here tribal farmers are unable to get even labour charges for harvesting and collecting the pine apple from hilly areas and consumers also unable to get this fruit at a reasonable price. However, ultimate beneficiaries are middlemen.

Earlier, the government used to purchase pine apple through Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) and Velugu Societies in agency by paying reasonable price to farmers. Later, they used to sell the fruits in Visakhapatnam and other markets and earned good profits. But now, IKP and Velugu Societies are purchasing the fruits.

“Farmers are unable to get reasonable price for their produce as government agencies are not purchasing pine apple. Hence, farmers are disposing their produce at a low price for middlemen”, tribal leader Savarathota Mukhalingam told The Hans India. “Unable to carry our produce to urban areas, we are selling it to local traders”, a tribal farmer of Kodisa village Savara Malayya said.