Simultaneous harvest of cotton, soyabean and jowar comes as a blessing
In demand: A farmer trying to engage the services of the pickup auto at Adilabad market yard
ADILABAD: The simultaneous harvest of cotton, soyabean and jowar (sorghum) in Adilabad has come as a blessing for the owners of light commercial vehicles (LCV) used for transporting agriculture produce. The rates for transporting the crops from surrounding villages to Adilabad market yard increased by almost 50 per cent, despite the growing number of other commercial vehicles like pickup autos, vans and lorries.
Farmers prefer motorised transport to bullock carts for transporting the agriculture produce to market yards for obvious reasons. In comparison, a bullock cart takes about two days to transport a maximum of seven quintals of cotton and return home while a pickup auto with longish trolley can haul about 18 quintals to the market and come back by the same evening.
“The rather late start of cotton trading has had an impact on arrivals. Vehicles were already engaged in transporting soyabean and jowar by the time cotton season started resulting in a glut”, said Addi Ramchander Reddy, a farmer from Jamidi in Tamsi mandal.
The going rate for transport in LCVs last year was between Rs. 30 and Rs. 35 per quintal for distance below10 kms. This year, owners of pickup autos, jeeps and tractors are charging about Rs. 50. “The non availability of transport vehicles has resulted in the slow down of arrivals to the market yards. Farmers are finding it extremely difficult to find storage space for the harvested crop. The situation may last for another 15 days”, opined Mr. Ramchander Reddy.
Depending upon the time consumed for unloading the vehicle at the market yard, each LCV makes two or three trips in 24 hours. A tractor making two trips to the market from a place that is within 10 kms of radius earns for its owner about Rs. 3,500 in 24 hours.
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