Agriculture Marketing Dept issues quality guidelines for turmeric farmers

Hyderabad: The State Agriculture Marketing Department on Tuesday issued a comprehensive set of guidelines for turmeric farmers as the harvesting season begins. These instructions aim to ensure that growers secure better prices for their produce while maintaining high quality standards across various market yards. Officials emphasised that turmeric must be boiled and dried for a minimum of 15 days before being brought for sale.

Produce maintained at a moisture content of 12 per cent is expected to fetch the highest market rates. Farmers have been specifically cautioned that the sale of raw turmeric is now completely prohibited at the Nizamabad market yard, where only properly dried turmeric will be accepted.

The department further advised farmers to clean their turmeric thoroughly by removing stalks, roots, and other impurities to ensure competitive bidding. To assist in this process, specialised laboratories have been established at market yards, allowing farmers to check the moisture percentage of their produce before the auction begins.

In a move to enhance transparency, the department highlighted the importance of using the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform.