No cash blues for custard apple growers in Udaipur

UDAIPUR: While the cash crisis has brought life to a standstill, Sitaphal (custard apple) growers in the tribal areas of Udaipur region seem to have found some kind immunity against demonetisation affect.
At a time when sales are continuously dipping, each tribal household at Teja Ka Vas panchayat in Kotra block has earned around Rs 10,000-15,000 on an average for the past few weeks by selling the 'cash' fruit to city merchants.Their cash inflow continues even now.
“Sitaphal is not grown actually; villagers pluck and sell it to merchants in local mandis. The fruit fetches high price up to Rs100 in cities but poor villagers get a meager profit due to the middlemen menace,“ said Sarpanch Anandaram Garasiya. This time, a panchayat was called to decide on the price. A consensus was derived on price fixing of Rs 250 per crate and nobody would sell below or above the fixed price. Merchants who come to purchase the fruit have to pay the cost in Rs 100, Rs 50 or smaller denominations else the sellers refuse to deal.
“Demonetisation is not affecting our people much. Few persons who have Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes got them exchanged from nearest banks. Some people bartered Sitaphal crate in exchange for seeds. Those who have black money are the worst affected of the currency ban, but tribals are contented lot,“ said Garasiya.
Similarly, women extracting fruit pulp in remote NanaDevla village in Kotra of Udaipur and Pindwara in Pali districts are least bothered of the demonetisation drive. Vegetable markets are flooded with seasonal fruits these days and in spite of the severe cash crisis, the delicious Sitaphal which is loved by young and old alike, is finding its way into homes at a price range of Rs 3080 per kg.
“The wild fruit needs no cultivation and grows profoundly in areas like Gogunda, Kotra in Udaipur, Kumbalgarh, Bheem in Rajsamand, several parts of Chittorgarh, Sirohi and Pratapgarh,“ said Sudhir Verma, an officer at the agriculture department.