The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Ryots destroy plants for want of minimum price

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Sunday, Apr 24, 2011
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Ryots destroy plants for want of minimum price

Staff Reporter

DINDIGUL: Floriculturists, particularly marigold producers, who cannot get even minimum price for their produce, have started to destroy the plants and allow the cattle and goat grazers to cut well grown plants for cattle feed.

At present, good quality marigold, one of the fast moving flowers in the market, is being sold at Rs.5 a kg. Not all farmers get even this minimum amount. A majority of them are not able to sell the flower even at such a low price as there is very poor demand. Traders refuse to buy in bulk quantities and order them to take back their bags, complain growers.

Marigold is predominantly cultivated in many villages around western and southern parts of Dindigul district. The present procurement price does not even match even the bus fare.

“If we carry the flowers in two-wheelers, the loss is manifold,” said Bommamanan, floriculturist of Kallupatti. “We have to nurture the plants at least for three months to get the yield. After three months, flowers bloom throughout the year,” he added.

A farmer has to spend around Rs.5,000 to nurture the crop till the flowering stage.

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