Salt farmers in dire straits as price falls

Chirala (Prakasam): Salt farmers in the Prakasam district are left high and dry with rapidly declining prices. A quintal of salt which was sold at Rs 180 is now fetching a meagre Rs 80 and farmers accuse traders of forming a syndicate to deny them remunerative price.

• Lack of remunerative prices is wrecking their lives
• Farmers accuse traders of forming syndicate
• Demand loans from government

Farmers of Pedaganjam in Chinaganjam mandal, cultivate salt in Adiveedhipalem, Rajubangarupalem and Motupalli in government and private lands.

They are lamenting that while the input costs have escalated, the lack of remunerative price is wrecking them. A farmer incurs an expenditure of Rs 190 per quintal. This includes labour charges, transport charges, lease expenditure, power bill and cultivation charges.

Besides, the farmer has to pay Rs 38 towards the cost of procuring sand. If the farmer were to sell the bag at Rs 90, he incurs a heavy loss. Vasudeva Rao, a salt farmer said that the prices are discouraging even before the start of the season.

“The prices will likely fall in May and June, when the yield will be full,” he added. Another farmer Lakshman alleges that farmers having financial muscle are storing salt and selling it when the market is bright.

“It is the small and marginal farmers that are selling the salt bags at the current market price to support their families and because of this the farmer is unable to wriggle out of the accumulated losses,” he remarks.

Even more, the salt farmers are accusing the State government of not extending any concessions. “The government is robbing us in the name of power charges,” they cried and appealed the government for loans with subsidy.

Speaking to The Hans India, Sarma an official with salt department attributed the losses to increased wages of workers and traders slashing prices.