In Karnataka, India, ginger farmers are suffering due to a slump in the market price of the product, a sharp decline in production owing to climatic vagaries and a lack of labour.
The spot price of ginger in Wayanad market on Wednesday 26 October was Rs. 950 to Rs.1,000 a bag (60 kg) as against Rs.1,500 a bag during the corresponding period last year.
It was Rs.2,500 to Rs.2,800 a bag two years ago.
A huge arrival of the produce in Wayanad and Karnataka markets after a premature harvest, owing to the drought-like situation in major ginger growing areas, was the major reason for the current fall in price, P.V. Eliyas, a ginger trader at Meenangadi, told The Hindu .
More than 10,000 acres of land in the district were utilised for ginger cultivation this season. The condition of the Keralite farmers, who had cultivated the crop on leased land in various parts of Karnataka, was no different, said Navrang Mohanan, general secretary, All India Ginger Growers' Association (KGGA).
The area of ginger cultivation had increased nearly threefold this season because of good prices over the past two years, Mr. Mohanan said. An average yield of ginger rhizomes from an acre is 18 to 20 tonne, but this season it declined to 10 to 12 tonne, he said.
About 18,000 farmers in the State cultivated the crop on nearly 80,000 hectares of leased land in Karnataka alone this year. Many of them were forced to harvest prematurely due to climate change, he said.
(1 Indian Rupee=0.015USD)
