Nizamabad: The steep fall in turmeric prices is worrying farmers in the erstwhile Nizamabad district. Turmeric is being sold at Rs 5,500 per quintal in the Nizamabad agriculture market yard for the last few days.
Turmeric sales reached a peak in the market yard as arrivals from undivided Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts increased have increased.
Farmers said that they were unable at least to get return of investment on the turmeric crop. “We forced to sell the turmeric for lower prices,” one of them said.
The Nizamabad market yard is one of the biggest markets for turmeric in the country. Farmers are used to bringing their produce for sales to the market for decades. The low prices has intensified the demand for minimum support price for turmeric, as well as the setting up of a Turmeric Board in Nizamabad.
Several farmers are planning on an agitation in support of their demand for MSP.
Marketing officials are making arrangements for transactions of turmeric and purchases in the market yard. They also provided basic amenities like drinking water, toilets and restrooms in the market yard.
However, officials are unable to stabilise the prices of turmeric. Unable to store the turmeric for a better price, the farmers sold it for a lower price.
