JOIN USFall in prices of fritter chilli, capsicum make winter gloomy for growers
Steep fall in prices of capsicum and fritter chillies have upset the growers who were expecting a good yield, especially in this winter season, as they make a wonderful crunchy snack for evenings.
Disappointed over fluctuating prices of tomato, some farmers cultivated capsicum and fritter chillies expecting good prices. But their hopes have crashed. A kilogram of fritter chillies cost just Rs six to Rs 10 while capsicum is fetching a mere Rs five a kg.
“I decided to grow capsicum as prices of tomatoes crashed in the market. Today, the cost of transporting fritter chillies to the market is also not compensated. Good chillies are being graded as they might get rotten in the field, if left unplucked. I’m selecting only the good ones to be transported to the market, hoping to get some returns on the investment,” grower Venkataramanappa told Deccan Herald.
Farmer, P M Venkatesha Reddy has spent at least Rs one crore to grow capsicum in this field. Since the price has fell drastically (Rs five per kg) they have not been harvested, he added. He further said that capsicum is a very sensitive crop and it involves a tough job to ensure that the crop is of good quality. Besides, it calls for good amount of fertiliser.
“Usually, these crops bring bumper to the growers but this is a sad phase to the growers,” he added. During winter, market is flooded with field beans. Since it is most sought-after, the prices of other vegetables get affected. But, now the prices of beans have also come down, say farmers.