Nalgonda: Relief to sweet lime farmers

Nalgonda: District Horticulture and Sericulture Officer Sangeetha Lakshmi said that announcement of opening Asia's biggest Azadpur fruit market in Delhi is a big relief to sweet lime farmers of the district in the present lockdown period.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Thursday, the officer

informed that about 1,600 farmers had cultivated sweet lime in 46,800 acres in the district and produced 44,000 metric tonnes yield.

Normally, sweet lime farmers sell their produce in Delhi and Calcutta markets. Majority farmers will sell their produce at Azadpur mandi in Delhi and gets good returns based on the grade. Last year, the district framers got Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000 per metric ton. But this time, the Delhi market was closed due to the lockdown and will be opened in a couple of days.

On behalf of the sweet lime farmers of the district, District Horticulture and Sericulture Officer Sangeetha Lakshmi thanked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Central Home Minister for State G Kishan Reddy for taking initiation in opening Delhi's Azadpur market.

With the help of the government, which bear the fuel expenses of transportation to rescue the farmers during the lockdown, the district farmers sold about 300 metric tons of sweet lime in local and Hyderabad markets for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per metric ton.