Fake manure kills pepper crops

MADIKERI: Pepper growers from Siddapur and its surrounding areas were in for a shock as their produce was returned from the market, as shopkeepers considered it dry and useless.
Pepper growers allege that the manure supplied from Mandya last year is fake and it affected their crop badly. Eventually the crop was dry and when plucked from the plant, it powdered like dry leaves.Farmers are a worried lot since they invested a lot of money.
According to Thayamma, Rajendra and few other farmers, few boys in motorbikes arrived last year and convinced them to buy organic manure, which was called 'Vijay Agromin', for Rs 400. They had a catch: One bag of manure was also distributed free of cost to those who bought four bags. Farmers couldn't ask for anything more. Attractive price and an additional bag free covinced all of them. Pepper growers from Siddapur, Abyathmangala, Nellihudikeri, Baradi, Nalwathekre and many other villages invested money in it.
When the picking season arrived, farmers realized they have been duped. A bag of dry pepper which normally weighs 60 kg now weighs 20 to 25 kg! Farmers cite no other reason, but the fake manure.
According to them, the manure is produced at Hyderabad by a firm called Navabharat Fertilizers and supplied from K M Doddi at Mandya.
Pepper growers feel the district administration has to interfere and initiate action against such fake companies.