Andhra Pradesh - Kurnool   

Kurnool ajwain losing its sheen

KURNOOL: Quality problem has been threatening the Rs. 50-crore ajwain market at Kurnool. Ajwain has been one of the jewels in the crown of the district with Kurnool ajwain having a nation-wide market.

Of late, farmers employed machines especially tractors to thresh the crop resulting in breaking of grain.

Also, the mechanisation process contributed more foreign matter and soil to the commodity.

As a result of the decline in the quality, Kurnool ajwain, which is known for its quality in the country has been quoting Rs. 1,000 less the market price per quintal.

On the other hand, farmers have said they shifted to machines due to labour shortage. The manual process takes days together to complete harvest.

Ajwain is cultivated in 20,000 acres in Kurnool district mainly in Aluru, Aspari, Adoni and Kallur areas. Kurnool ajwain market yard is one of the biggest in the country supplying nearly 50,000 quintals to the entire country.

Bharat whose family has been into the ajwain trade for the last 60 years said as against the normal one lakh bags, only 4,000 bags arrived at the Kurnool market this year.

The price shot up to Rs. 8,900 per quintal, which was highest so far.

According to Mr. Bharat, who exports ajwain to Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Kurnool ajwain is the first choice of the traders in the country. In case of non-availability of Kurnool commodity, traders sourced from Jamnagar in Rajasthan. Jamnagar is the next biggest market after Kurnool

Ajwain grown in Kurnool and Guntakal areas has large grain size and high levels of pungence. Ajwain is widely used as spice in curries in north India besides use in ayurvedic industry.

Ajwain is usually sown in the middle of August and harvested around December and January. Except weeding, the crop does not require much care and investment. Poor yields ranging from two to three quintals have been keeping the farmers away from the crop.

However, the high prices are likely to attract more farmers next year.

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