Red chilli crop causes `24 cr loss to farmers

Atmakur (Kurnool): Hopes of the red chilli farmers of the region dashed as pests damaged the crop inflicting a heavy loss up to
Rs 24 crore.

On an average, the loss to the farmer would be about Rs 80,000 an acre.

The traders are not evincing to buy chilli cultivated in the region regarding it as the fourth grade chilli.

In the region, farmers raised the crop in 1,574 hectares including 1032 hectares in Pamulapadu mandal, expecting good price for chilli in the market.

Thousands of farmers raised the crop expecting to wriggle themselves out of the accumulated debts. Virus attacked the crop prior to harvesting the crop.

Each farmer incurred an expenditure of Rs 1 lakh per acre expecting to reap harvest of at least 30 quintals.

The red chilli price plummeted from Rs 12,200 a quintal to Rs 1,370 causing severe loss to the farmer.

The Horticulture department officials confined themselves to Mahanandi and Kurnool instead of visiting the fields and advise the farmers.

Speaking to The Hans India, Narayana of Siddepalli village said that he had suffered a loss of
Rs 80,000 per acre.

The farmers are not able to sell the red chilli at the market yard in Guntur and made a distress sale entrusting the sale to middlemen expecting poor returns from the crop.