Palamuru farmers severely hit by falling prices

Mahabubnagar: Farmers in Mahabubnagar district have been severely hit following a fall in the prices of groundnut and other grains up to Rs 1,000 a quintal within a month of harvesting. They had hoped that the problems of loans would end with the crop reaching the market, but their hopes were dashed by the falling prices.

Farmers who brought stocks of groundnuts to the Jadcherla (Badepalli) Agricultural Market Yard are distressed that they won’t be able to repay their loans, because of the inadequate price. They had banked on groundnut to fetch them a high price, as they had raised it in more area than grains during the Rabi season.

The ryots were initially happy with groundnut price for a quintal touching over Rs 5,800. However, within a month it fell to Rs 4,700/3,800. Consequently, they had to suffer a loss of about Rs 1,000.

Farmers Mannem, Chinna Sheshayya and Mallesh told The Hans India that they had hoped for higher profits this year than those in 2014. They had to earlier spend Rs 30,000 for raising a quintal of grains in an acre. ‘Now at the same cost they got less output. With the falling prices, their only alternative was to resort to ‘suicide’ because of their inability to repay loans.

The farmers expressed anguish that their fate has not changed even after the Telangana Rashtra Samithi came to power in the State. The new administration has proved that it was no different from the previous dispensations, they grumbled.

Some ryots said that last year when crops were raised in more areas and 1.5 lakh quintals reached the market the price range was Rs 3,500-3,700 a quintal. This year with only 50,000 quintals being sold, the initial price of Rs 5,900 had fallen to Rs 4,600-3,200 within a span of one month.

Market Yard secretary Abdus Sami attributed the fall in prices to the poor quality of the product.