Plummeting prices for onions and garlic a cause of concern for farmers

Coonoor (Ooty): Popular Kotagiri garlic, known for its superior quality, has suffered a steep fall in price. Currently, the wholesale rate has dropped to ₹180 per kilogram. Farmers say they cannot even recover cultivation costs unless the price reaches at least ₹300 per kilogram.

Garlic grown in the Ooty region always has strong demand and a steady market, usually fetching good prices. But this year, with rising input costs such as seeds, fertilisers, and labour, farmers are struggling to cope with the decline in rates. In the Mettupalayam market, the price recently dropped to ₹180, leaving cultivators deeply disappointed.

Garlic is widely grown in Ooty and Kotagiri, with Kotagiri accounting for the majority of production. Many farmers invested heavily in the crop this season, expecting better returns. However, reduced demand has triggered a sharp decline in prices.

Onion price trend

A similar trend is being witnessed in the onion market. Despite being off-season, prices have plunged. Last year during this period, good-quality onions sold for around ₹50 per kilogram, but this year even premium varieties are being sold for as low as ₹20. Traders say the fall is unusual for this time of year.

According to wholesale trader M Rajendran at MGR Market, the price crash is linked to onions stored during April and May. Continuous rains damaged the stock, forcing traders to release onions into the market at a loss.

Maharashtra, the largest onion-producing state, will begin harvesting its new crop in November. Typically, prices rise during August and September, but with fresh arrivals expected soon, rates are likely to dip further in the coming months.