Ryots urge govt to buy gingelly as prices crash

After the blackgram cultivation failed to fetch lucrative returns, farmers in the Delta region switched over to gingelly cultivation anticipating a good profit. So, this year, they cultivated gingelly in an area of 1,450 ha against the usual 500 ha under chithirai pattom. Gingelly, a 90-day crop, could give yield between 200 and 300 kg per acre. Since it was sold at Rs 120 per kg last year, farmers were keen on cultivating the crop.

While the harvest had commenced in the region, farmers complained that the gingelly was sold only at just Rs 75 per kg.

Till June, it was sold at Rs 120 per kg and later on it got reduced to Rs 90 per kg and now it was being sold at Rs 75 per kg, said P Govindaraj, a farmer from Tholagiripatti near Thanjavur.

Govindaraj further said that the yield was more when compared to the previous year. Farmers were told that the demand for gingelly decreased substantially in the market and so the price was slashed.

He urged the state government to procure gingelly like paddy being procured which alone could help the farmers get a profitable price for their production and labour.

He also said, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers mustered courage to cultivate the crop and the government should encourage such activities of farmers and bail them out from huge losses.