Palakkad: Farmers who are cultivating tuber crops like tapioca, elephant yam, purple yam, colocasia and other crops like ginger and turmeric are facing a crisis due to the fall in prices. It is reported that most of the farmers are abandoning the harvest as they are unable to meet the expenditure.
The crops cultivated by overcoming the challenges like adverse weather and attack of wild boar are being destroyed.
During the lockdown over the COVID-19 outbreak, many young farmers cultivated land with great spirit. But at present, nobody is interested to harvest crops due to the dull market.
The vendors have been pointing out the setback in hotel business as a major reason for the fall in the price of the crops. It is learned that no vendor is ready for wholesale purchase.
At present, the price of tapioca is marked at Rs 12-15 at the retail market. Colocasia is priced at Rs 20.
Earlier, rhizome rot also called soft rot disease caused large scale destruction of ginger. Even after this, the demand for ginger has not increased in the market. It also led to the price fall.
The farmers’ efforts to procure tapioca were also found to be a failure. Dried tapioca is only priced at Rs 50 per kilo. The farmers have to dry 4 kg tapioca to get 1 kg dried tapioca.
Rs 20 should be paid to each worker for plucking and drying the tapioca.
In some areas, farmers are selling the crops at a low rate by displaying boards aiming to find market.
Though the government declared a support price to tuber crops, the government did not initiate action to execute it.
