In Chamarajanagar, garlic growers face challenges as market prices have decreased sharply at harvest time. Farmers, who initially viewed garlic cultivation as profitable due to rising prices, are now encountering financial difficulties. Many invested significantly in garlic and onion cultivation, driven by the previously high market value of garlic.
Garlic crops planted in mid-December are now ready for harvest, but market demand has declined. Prices have fallen dramatically, forcing farmers to redirect their garlic from export to local markets. Rangaswamy, a farmer, shared, "Last season, we bought quality seeds from the Salem market for about $600 per quintal for planting. Overall, we have invested thousands of dollars in these crops. During planting, the price was around $300 per quintal, but now it has fallen to about $48 to $60 per quintal at harvest time. Due to this price drop, we haven't even managed to recover half of our expenses. Wholesalers don't even look our way."
The decrease in garlic prices has made it more accessible to consumers, now available at around $1.20 per kilogram, which has increased consumer purchases. However, this shift has not alleviated the losses faced by producers. Farmer Basavshetti noted that this situation has prompted farmers to expedite the harvest and transport their produce to the Salem market.
Source: IBC World News