Turmeric farmers cheerful over setting up of board, seek MSP

Nizamabad: The farming community has expressed their happiness over sanctioning of the National Turmeric Board (NTB) for Nizamabad.

In the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement, the farmers have decided to attend the public meeting to be addressed by the Prime Minister in Nizamabad on Tuesday.

Turmeric farmers are mainly spread in Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Jagtial and Nirmal districts. The farmers are hopeful that the turmeric board will benefit them from the time of sowing till the stage of exporting.

D.C. Narsaiah, turmeric farmer from Ankapur village, said the fate of turmeric farmers will change now. In 2010, turmeric farmers got Rs 15,000 per quintal. Since then, the price stood at a low of Rs 5,000. Cultivation expenses doubled in the last 12 years, and prices remained low, he lamented.

"We are hopeful that minimum support price and quality seed will be available soon," Narsaiah said.

Young farmer Thoudu Mahesh from Ramchandrapally village in Aloor mandal said, "We are hopeful that turmeric refinery industries, cold storages and other infrastructure will be developed soon."

Turmeric minimum support price will touch Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 in future, he said.

Muthyala Manohar Reddy, turmeric farmer leader, said his vow was fulfilled with the announcement of the National Turmeric Board. “I have been walking barefoot for the last 12 years, seeking the establishment of the turmeric board,” he said.

“A few people ridiculed me for the vow I took of not wearing footwear, aspiring for the National Turmeric Board,” he said.

Demanding the turmeric board, I did a padayatra for 1200km from Adilabad to Tirupati. I feel very happy now. We are hopeful that problems of turmeric farmers will be resolved. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi for the initiative,” Manohar Reddy said.

BJP Kisan Morcha district president Nuthi Srinivas said their elders treated turmeric as a ‘golden crop’. “Three decades ago, turmeric farmers purchased one tola gold from the price of one quintal of turmeric. Now, turmeric prices are down at Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per quintal,” he said.

BJP leaders celebrated the announcement of turmeric board, at the party district office on Monday. They sprinkled turmeric powder to mark the event. The premises of the BJP office turned yellow with the spread of the colour. Party leaders and activists raised slogans praising Prime Minister Modi.