The Nilgiris : Beans which was cultivated in the Kotagiri area is being quickly harvested. Though tea plantation is the primary livelihood for farmers in Nilgiris, vegetables are also cultivated in fields where there is ample water resource.
The Nilgiris : Beans which was cultivated in the Kotagiri area is being quickly harvested. Though tea plantation is the primary livelihood for farmers in Nilgiris, vegetables are also cultivated in fields where there is ample water resource.
Hence, beans are cultivated and maintained by farmers on large scale in Kotagiri, Kattabettu, Kookalthorai, Sullikadu and Nedugula areas, every year. The price of raw materials like seeds, manure and pesticides have doubled, forcing farmers to obtain loans to cultivate and maintain their farmlands. Beans, which was cultivated a month ago in spite of challenges like shortage of labourers, wage hike and wild animals threat, farmers are harvesting beans quickly and getting reasonable profit since beans can be harvested a maximum of five times. Currently, beans are being sold between Rs.80-Rs.130, depending upon their quality.
When the harvested beans are segregated according to the quality and sold in local and Mettupalayam depots, expenses like lorry rent, loading and unloading charges and depot commission increases. But farmers this season are rejoicing due to reasonably good profits from their beans produce. Since heavy rains are expected from June, farmers continue to speed up the harvesting process for beans to maximise their profits.