While the crop prices vary greatly across the nation, an incident from Bengaluru will surely leave you surprised. Recently, a farmer from Gadag made Rs 8.36 after selling 205 kg of onion in Bengaluru's Yeshwanthpur market. The receipt of the payment gained widespread attention after the farmer put it on social media, warning other cultivators not to bring their crops to the city.
The onions were assessed at Rs 200 per quintal by the wholesaler who submitted the bill. However, after subtracting Rs 24 for porter fees and Rs 377.64 for freight, he gave Rs 8.36 to Pawadeppa Hallikeri, a farmer from Timmapur village.
Nearly 50 Gadag farmers who travelled over 415 miles to sell onions at the Yeshwanthpur market were shocked to learn that the price had dropped to Rs 200 per quintal from about Rs 500 only a few days earlier.
Farmers are preparing a demonstration in response to the outrageous costs, hoping to pressure the state government to set a minimum support price for their goods. This year's relentless rain has had an impact on Gadag farmers, as evidenced by the lesser size of the onions that have been produced, according to Pawadeppa.
On the other hand, farmers from Tamil Nadu and Pune who provide their produce to Yeshwanthpur are reportedly paid well since their harvest is superior. But even so, Gadag farmers did not anticipated the cost of their onion to be this low.
Pawadeppa posted his receipt on microblogging site Twitter in order to warn other farmers to avoid the Yeshwanthpur market, where the Gadag and north Karnataka onion harvest is not receiving a fair price. In his post, he mentioned that he spent more than Rs 25,000 on the produce's cultivation and delivery, and now with the horrific downfall of prices in Bengaluru market, he is left disappointed.
Yallappa Babari, district president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Gadag recently told the media that they have asked the state government to announce the minimum support price (MSP) for the crops as soon as possible as farmers have lost a huge sum of money this year due to incessant rain.
"We'll stage a protest in the first week of December if no decision is made", he added.
Meanwhile, recently reports emerged that the Karnataka government has lifted all prohibitions on the cultivation and sale of sandalwood in the state. The Karnataka State Sandalwood Policy 2022, which is anticipated to help the state's sandalwood farmers, was approved by the cabinet.
According to the reports, the forest department will defend farms from smugglers under the new policy, and the trees will have a microchip fitted to warn authorities if anyone attempts to cut them.
