Horti dept. to rescue pineapple growers

The division ensured that masses of fruit from Belthangady and Moodbidri taluks in the district had been despatched to Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mumbai and Wayanad.

The farmers in the two taluks who had cultivated it on a big scale had begun advertising the produce on small amount from March itself. However the lockdown later in the month dashed their hopes. If some confronted transportation points many discovered it tough to discover wholesale purchasers.

"We began addressing the each and we'll proceed to do it," H.R. Nayak, Deputy Director, Division of Horticulture, informed The Hindu.

Mr. Nayak stated some large-scale farmers discovered it tough to market masses of pineapple harvested. The division contacted the wholesale purchasers in different States and linked them with these farmers who couldn't discover purchasers. In some circumstances the farmers who had already discovered the purchasers couldn't transport the produce due to the border points. The division addressed it additionally.

He stated that the farmers had cultivated Queen and Moreish varieties used for the desk. As the two varieties are usually not effectively suited to canning and processing they want to be marketed with out ready for lengthy.

The Deputy Director stated that 161 hectares are underneath pineapple in the district and the harvesting continues up to July. If farmers nonetheless confronted any points they will contact the division which is able to prepare for the advertising hyperlink.

Shaiju, a farmer who has grown pineapple on about 80 acres in Totattady village in Belthangady taluk, informed The Hindu that the division helped in addressing the transportation points and discovering the market.

However due to many elements linked to the lockdown the costs have dropped this 12 months. The growers obtained between ?40 and ?44 a kg throughout the identical season final 12 months. Now they're getting solely ?13 to ?15. "If pineapple cultivation is to develop into worthwhile farmers ought to get no less than ?30 per kg" Mr. Shaiju stated.

"I suffered a loss of ?35 lakh for April alone," he added.

Source and Photo Courtesy of GujjuPedia

Source: GujjuPedia