Sweet lemon turns sour in Kadapa district

Kadapa: Deficit rainfall and fall in groundwater levels made the lives of farmers, who raised sweet lemon, miserable. Ryots have invested Rs 50,000 per acre for cultivating sweet lemon with a hope of getting good rains in the months September and October. But, their hopes were dashed. In Pulivendula constituency, sweet lemon was raised in 8,000 acres as against the total of 14,000 acres in the district.

Highlights:

• Sweet lemon farmers hopes were dashed with deficit rainfall and fall in groundwater levels
• Reduction in size and discoloration of sweet lemon has been forcing farmers to sell for cheaper price

Chinna Veeraiah, a farmer from Vemula mandal told The Hans India that the situation of sweet lemon farmers is pathetic compared to the last four years. “Now, I am forced to sell sweet lemons for cheaper price in the market with reduction in size and discoloration of fruit,” he lamented.

Another farmer B Narapu Reddy from Pulivendula constituency stated that he sunk a borewell to a depth of 1,500 feet by spending Rs 1 lakh. He stated that he did not get single drop of water. “Now, I am supplying water to farms through tankers,” he added. Reddy mentioned that sweet lemon farmers will commit suicide if the same situation continues.

CPM district secretary K Anjaneyulu alleged that the state government has no clarity in resolving the issues faced by sweet lemon farmers. He asked the district officials as to why they are not supplying water to sweet lemon crops through tankers even after the government sanctioning Rs 30 crore.Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy has instructed the district officials to supply water through tankers for sweet lemon crops. The cost of 1 acre sweet lemon has come down to Rs 15,000 compared to Rs 80,000 last year in the market.

By M Srinivasa Rao