The Nilgiris: Farmers are aggrieved with the price of potato dropping in vegetable mandis.
The Nilgiris: Farmers are aggrieved with the price of potato dropping in vegetable mandis.
Next to tea, cultivation of vegetables such as carrot, beetroot, potato, cauliflower and beans are carried out extensively in the Nilgiris. With severe drought prevailing in Kotagiri, farmers are watering crops using sprinklers. Meanwhile, the price of potato dipped in the Kotagiri and Mettupalayam markets for the past two weeks. Due to this, farmers who have cultivated potato in areas including Nedugala, Kattapettu, Panahatti are deeply distressed.
It is reported that the farmers in Nilgiris had faced severe loss since they did not get a good price for carrots, due to which they had cultivated potato as an alternative crop. But, the price of potato had also begun to decline with potato being sold at an average cost of Rs.23-26 per kg in Kotagiri and Mettupalayam vegetable markets.
High quality seeds such as giri raja, gupri jothi and jalandhar are being used for potato cultivation, due to which potato gets ready for harvest in three months from the date of cultivation. Nilgiris potato has always been known for its quality and taste, and has always been in good demand in the markets. Farmers are hoping that with April showers due anytime, the price of potato will increase this summer.