Chennai: A surplus harvest this season has triggered a sharp fall in shallot prices in Perambalur district, pushing many farmers into distress as procurement rates have dropped to as low as Rs 10 per kg, compared to Rs 30- Rs 40 during the same period last year.
Growers said the mismatch between supply and demand has left them with little choice but to sell their produce at “throwaway” prices or store it in the hope of a price recovery.
Farmers have urged the district administration to intervene immediately by facilitating direct procurement and market support measures. Many point out that the Chettikulam small onion, cultivated in parts of the district, received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag only last year, raising hopes of better price realisation and institutional backing that have so far failed to materialise.
Shallot cultivation in Perambalur is typically undertaken in three cycles annually. In the current cycle, which began in September last year, farmers raised the crop on nearly 5,000 hectares. With the harvest now at its peak, growers report yields of around 100 sacks per acre, each weighing about 50 kg. This is significantly higher than last year’s average yield of around 60 sacks per acre from cultivation spread over about 4,500 hectares.
While the improved yield would normally be seen as a positive outcome, farmers say it has instead led to a glut in the market.
As a result, traders are quoting procurement prices ranging between Rs 10 and Rs 28 per kg, depending on quality. Last year, farmers recall receiving Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg for the same produce.
“Prices change every season, but there is no proper marketing system to protect us,” said R. Karthik, a farmer from Karaiyur. “For years, we have struggled to even recover our production costs. This year, the yield on my land was good, but the price offered is painfully low. Traders buy from us cheaply and sell the same shallots in the market for Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg. We believed the GI tag would improve our livelihood, but those hopes have been shattered.”
Another farmer, M. Senthil from Siruvachur, said he spent between Rs 60,000 and Rs 70,000 per acre on cultivation. “At the current prices, selling now will only result in losses. I will not even recover my input costs. I am forced to store the shallots for up to three months, hoping prices will improve. Without timely intervention, many farmers may abandon shallot cultivation altogether,” he said.
Farmers have demanded direct government procurement, the removal of middlemen, the induction of traders from other districts, and the establishment of storage and processing facilities.
Responding to the concerns, District Collector N. Mirunalini said the administration is planning to convene a meeting with officials from the agriculture and marketing departments to explore steps to ensure better prices for shallot growers.
(IANS)
