Mirchi farmers reel under severe losses

Rajamahendravaram: Mirchi farmers in the merged mandals in East Godavari have experienced severe losses due to the cultivation of mirchi this year as prices declined drastically in comparison with last year. Increased expenditure and dearth of labourers have added to the woes of the farmers.

It is estimated that farmers have lost about Rs 50 thousand per acre this year. The official statistics reveal that cultivation of Mirchi has taken place to the tune of 2,897 hectares in Chintur division alone. Expenditure increased this year from the sowing onwards. Farmers chose to cultivate Mirchi this year in large scale as they have obtained huge profits last year. But, they had to face losses due to the drop in the prices this year.

Farmers are not in position to repay their debts as the price is not crossing from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per quintal at present. The farmers are urging the government to intervene and do justice for them.On the other side, Mirchi farmers of merged mandals are not getting loans from the banks as they have been branded as submerged mandals of Polavaram project. So, they are availing loans from private money lenders at high interest rate.

They are urging the government to announce Minimum Support Price for Mirchi on the lines of paddy. Severe dearth of labourers also affected farmers very badly due the employment guarantee scheme and they are demanding for temporary halt for the employment guarantee scheme during the crop period.

In Devipatnam mandal, farmers who were cultivating Mirchi for many years have tilted towards maize for the last few years with the expectations of good profits with low investment. But, farmers from Devipatnam, Thoyyeru, Posammagandi and Pudipalli villages have chose Mirchi this year as they have noticed good profits in the last year. Now, they are in disarray as the prices crumbled this year.

Pragada Raju, a farmer from Krishna Puram in Chintur mandal said that he has invested about Rs 90 thousand per acre and he obtained losses due to steep decline in prices and his crop getting affected by diseases. Though the crop is in closing stages, he lamented that he did not get expenditure incurred on the crop. He observed that traders are confining to Guntur as that region has got good yield.

Poosam Raghavayya, a farmer from Thotapalli village of Yetapaka mandal urged the government to announce remunerative price of Rs 10 thousand per quintal as farmers in deep financial crisis. He expressed anguish that farmers will not able to recover the investment that they have put on Mirchi. If the government did not take steps to increase the price, he mentioned that the farmers will not have any option other than committing suicide.