Andhra turmeric yield down 10 quintal/acre

Turmeric yield in Andhra Pradesh has come down to 15 quintals per acre this year as compared to the normal yield of 25 quintals. Adding to the problem are the recent floods, which washed away growing turmeric crop (2006 harvest) at island villages (lankas) of Guntur and Krishna districts.

Preliminary estimates made by farmers and traders put the crop loss at 60,000 bags (each bag 75 kg) and farmers' expenditure at Rs 40,000 per acre.

Although there has been a spurt in the prices paid by the bidders at the national turmeric market yard at Duggirala, 20 km from here, during the last week with average quality turmeric fetching farmers Rs 2,200 per quintal, best quality Rs 2,300 per quintal, special variety Rs 2,400 per quintal and bulb turmeric Rs 2,450 per quintal, many grieved that any price less than Rs 2,900 per quintal would put them in loss. Farmers earned an average price of Rs 3,000 per quintal in 2004 and 2003 auctions.

In the last five months, since the beginning of the season in April 2005-06, farmers incurred losses as distressing prices of Rs 1,850-2,000 per quintal for all varieties of turmeric ruled the market.

Taking into account the low yield and huge expenditure, farmers said they be paid a price of Rs 2,900-3,000 per quintal, otherwise they would lose heavily.

The government should fix a minimum support price for turmeric as it did in 2002 when prices crashed, they said.

J V Krishna Rao of Krishna Food Products, a farmer and leading merchant, said the crop estimated to arrive at the Duggirala yard for 2005 was 4.5-5 lakh bags. About 3.5 lakh bags have arrived till date and 1.4 lakh bags or more are expected to hit the yard in the coming months.

Around 5,000 bags were auctioned on an average every day. Guntur district farmers are certain to contribute the highest of 2.5 lakh bags, followed by Krishna district farmers with 1 lakh bags, farmers of Kurnool and Cuddapah districts with 50,000 bags, and the remaining crop coming from Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East Godavari and West Godavari districts.

Of the other markets in Andhra, 12-13 lakh bags are estimated to arrive at Nizamabad yard this year, three lakh bags at Warangal yard, and two lakh bags at the market yards at Sadasivapet, Vikarabad, Madugula, Rajahmundry and Ravulapalem.

Rao said that of the 50-60 lakh bags of turmeric produced by the country in 2004-05, Andhra farmers harvested 25 lakh bags.

Of about 15-16 lakh bags exported to other countries, 10 lakh bags were lifted from the state alone, thus bringing in Rs 190 crore foreign exchange. The exports went to Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, the US, Japan and a few smaller countries.