Jalandhar: Prices fall, growers destroy cauliflower crop

Tribune News Service

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, February 20

“Gobhi ne jimidaar rolte” (Cauliflower has shattered farmers), said Sukhjinder Singh, a farmer from Swal village near Sultanpur Lodhi. Upset over the low price of cauliflower, farmers have started ploughing their standing crops. Sukhjinder Singh also destroyed his produce on 1.5 acres.

Getting Rs 3 per kg

I had spent Rs 30,000 on one acre and was hardly getting Rs 3 per kg. "Apne hath naal laayi, hun aap hi vaati, mann nai manda par ki kariye (I grew it and I am destroying it, it's very tough but what to do). Sukhjinder, A Farmer

Sukhjinder said he had spent Rs 30,000 on one acre and was hardly getting Rs 3 per kg of his cauliflower crop. “Apne hath naal laayi, hun aap hi vatti, mann nai manda par ki kariye (I grew it and I am destroying it, it’s very tough but what to do),” an emotional Sukhjinder said.

Gajjan Singh from the same village also destroyed the crop on an acre. “We bought hybrid seed, then a lot of money went into fertiliser and manure apart from transportation cost. ‘Kuch nai bacheya,’” he said.

Cabbage growers also shared the same problem. The growers said they were hardly getting Rs 2 for one kg cabbage.

Same is the situation with other vegetables like potato, and tomato. Farmers fear that they may have to dump potatoes on roads if they keep on getting Rs 4-Rs 6 per kg.

Farmer Lakhvir Bassi from Kala Sanghian has cultivated potato on 35 acres of which 25 acres are on contract. “Looking at the prices, it seems I will not be able to pay money to land owner. “I think I will have to take more loan now. I wish the prices improve in the coming days,” he wished.

Surinder Pal Singh, Secretary, Mandi Committee, Jalandhar, said the prices had nosedived since last month. “The prices of tomato have reduced to half. A crate of 20-22 kg is being sold around Rs 300-400,” he said.

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