Fluctuating prices of veggies, spices worry farmers

Volatile pricing of vegetables and spices is making farmers, particularly turmeric farmers, wary of increasing their cultivation area despite heavy rainfall, keeping an eye on the market.

They say the falling prices of vegetables, including tomato and chilli, and spices like turmeric will not save a farmer even during a bumper harvest.

Thondamuthur-based turmeric farmer Radhakrishnan knows that the district is expected to receive 1,000mm of rainfall this year which will recharge the groundwater level adequately. Moist soil is one of the main prerequisites of good turmeric produce. “I do know that I will get a bumper produce if I cultivate turmeric, unless it rain too much leading to spoilage,” said Radhakrishnan. “But that will be the case across the region including Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode. The price of turmeric now is Rs 8,000 a tonne, which is too less. We need a price of at least Rs 10,000 a tonne,” he said.

Turmeric farmers in Erode too are worried about over supply next year. “Last year, many farmers hoarded their stock because they were not getting the desired price,” said K Ramakrishnan, another turmeric farmer in Erode.

“The stocks may increase further next year, because of a successful harvest,” he said. “If that happens, labour costs would become too high because labourers will ask Rs 350 to Rs 400 per day,” he added. “Leading to an overall loss for us,” said Radhakrishnan, who has taken a Rs 2 lakh loan.

Vegetable farmers too are worried about the fluctuating prices. “Green chilli sold at Rs 15 a kg last week but dropped to Rs 7 per kg. While it was a jackpot for farmers who sold it last week, it is a loss today. We incurred heavy loss while cultivating small onions too despite produce being good,” Madukkarai-based farmer A Kandasamy said. “Tomatoes too are not garnering a good price. A big harvest will make the situation worse, because the price of seeds and labour remains unchanged,” he added.