Pollachi: Farmers in Pollachi and surrounding areas have expressed concern, as they are next to nil traders from Kerala to buy Tapioca that are ready for harvest.
Pollachi: Farmers in Pollachi and surrounding areas have expressed concern, as they are next to nil traders from Kerala to buy Tapioca that are ready for harvest.
With Pollachi located close to Kerala border and Tapioca being one of the staple food among Kerala people, in a usual scenario, traders would throng Pollachi and Anamalai markets to buy Tapioca in bulk, say the famers.
However, due to COVID restrictions between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, traders have not turned up, this season, lamented the Pollachi farmers who fear of losses.
Tapioca is cultivated in around 1500 acres in the surrounding areas of Pollachi, including Kullakkapalayam, Kurumbapalayam, Devampadivalasu and Vadakkipalayam. As harvest season has already begun, the farmers who express joy in terms of yield are worried of lack of buyers and pre-orders from Kerala.
According to farmers, the 9-month crop Tapioca will yield about 12 to 15 tonnes per acre. "It costs upto Rs. 50,000 per acre from cultivation to harvest. While the demand for tapioca fetches a better price in Kerala, lack of buyers from the State due to COVID spread has forced us to sell for lower prices to clear the stock", told the farmers.
The farmers recall that until last year, the price per tonne was up to Rs.18,000. But this year, due to inter-state restrictions, traders from Kerala who buy in bulk will not be able to make it up. Hence, we are selling the produce to traders from Theni and Madurai who buy between Rs 9000 and Rs 13,000, thus incurring a loss of Rs. 5,000, the farmers grieve.