Markfed to buy third grade turmeric

Duggirala Market yard officials told to purchase third grade turmeric at Rupees 6000 per quintal

Guntur: Duggirala turmeric yard is purchasing third grade quality of turmeric produced by farmers at Rs 6,000 following orders of the higher officials after a farmer threatened to commit suicide by jumping from Markfed building here if turmeric brought by him was not bought by him.

Duggirala agriculture market yard officials took up the issue with senior officials following this incident. Finally, they agreed to purchase third grade variety of turmeric from the farmers. While super fine quality is being sold at Rs 6,500 per quintal, ordinary variety and third grade quality of turmeric is sold at Rs 6,000 per quintal.

Andhra Pradesh Markfed Guntur district officer N Nalini said that they would purchase turmeric as per specifications given by the government. “We will regrade the turmeric stocks shifted to yard for selling. We are purchasing third grade turmeric at Rs 6,000 per quintal in Duggirala agriculture market yard. We are purchasing the stocks based on the certificates given by the horticulture department officials,” she said.

Duggirala Agriculture Market yard chairman Vanga Sambi Reddy said that they had taken the decision of purchase all grades of turmeric taking into consideration the farmers’ problems. “Out of 13 districts, farmers from 12 districts are bringing their stocks to Duggirala agriculture market yard as it is the biggest turmeric yard in the state. Only the turmeric farmers in Kadapa district are selling their stock in their district market yard,” he said.

K Sivaiah, a farmer in Achampet mandal, attributed the inferior quality of turmeric to the flash floods, deficit rains and adverse seasonal conditions. “We could produce only 10-12 quintals of turmeric per acre due to deficit rainfall. If the Markfed does not purchase inferior quality turmeric, we will incur heavy loss,” he explained.