<p>Bunches of blush purple and green grapes hang heavily from their vines in many villages in Chikkaballapur taluk. But wary farmers are hesitant to harvest the yield. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Reason: Grape growers in the district are facing a tough time as prices have crashed by 50 per cent. Prices, which were Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg a week ago, have fallen to Rs 13 per kg now. <br /><br />Apart from dairy farming and sericulture, many farmers also take up viticulture in the taluk. Grapes are widely cultivated in Hunegallu, Naayanahalli, Patrenahalli, Srirampura, Toudanahalli, Kolavanahalli, D Hosuru, Yaluvahalli, Doddamarali, Beedaganahalli, Kothnuru and Chadalapura villages in the taluk. Grapes in most of the fields are ready for harvest.<br /><br />Won’t the grapes be harvested? “No,” says a farmer from the region. “We took up viticulture after taking huge loans. What is the use of harvesting them when the prices have crashed so badly,” he said and added that if it rains, the crop would be destroyed.<br /><br />S Narayanaswamy, a farmer from Srirampura, said at Rs 13 per kilo, they would not be able to repay the interest on the loan they had taken, let alone the principal amount. <br /><br />“We took lakhs of rupees in loan and guarded the crop for over six months, from pests and thieves. However, when time came to reap the benefit of a good harvest, the prices crashed, dashing our hopes,” he added.<br /><br />Narayanaswamy has cultivated the ‘Dilkhush’ variety of grapes on his one-acre field. Though the fruit is ready for harvest, he is waiting for the prices to increase. However, he is also worried as rain could completely destroy the crop. He is also physically guarding his field day and night for fear of thieves. <br /><br />“At APMC, prices of grapes are fixed. We will incur huge losses if the produce is sold at that rate,” he added.<br /><br />Though traders from other cities come in search of grapes, they offer little money and take away half of the harvest. Extracting money from them is a Herculean task, he added. “Traders refuse to buy the produce if one pressures them for more money,” Narayanaswamy said.<br /><br />It is a tight situation, as there is no insurance for the crop. Aid from the government never comes on time, he added.<br /></p>
<p>Bunches of blush purple and green grapes hang heavily from their vines in many villages in Chikkaballapur taluk. But wary farmers are hesitant to harvest the yield. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Reason: Grape growers in the district are facing a tough time as prices have crashed by 50 per cent. Prices, which were Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg a week ago, have fallen to Rs 13 per kg now. <br /><br />Apart from dairy farming and sericulture, many farmers also take up viticulture in the taluk. Grapes are widely cultivated in Hunegallu, Naayanahalli, Patrenahalli, Srirampura, Toudanahalli, Kolavanahalli, D Hosuru, Yaluvahalli, Doddamarali, Beedaganahalli, Kothnuru and Chadalapura villages in the taluk. Grapes in most of the fields are ready for harvest.<br /><br />Won’t the grapes be harvested? “No,” says a farmer from the region. “We took up viticulture after taking huge loans. What is the use of harvesting them when the prices have crashed so badly,” he said and added that if it rains, the crop would be destroyed.<br /><br />S Narayanaswamy, a farmer from Srirampura, said at Rs 13 per kilo, they would not be able to repay the interest on the loan they had taken, let alone the principal amount. <br /><br />“We took lakhs of rupees in loan and guarded the crop for over six months, from pests and thieves. However, when time came to reap the benefit of a good harvest, the prices crashed, dashing our hopes,” he added.<br /><br />Narayanaswamy has cultivated the ‘Dilkhush’ variety of grapes on his one-acre field. Though the fruit is ready for harvest, he is waiting for the prices to increase. However, he is also worried as rain could completely destroy the crop. He is also physically guarding his field day and night for fear of thieves. <br /><br />“At APMC, prices of grapes are fixed. We will incur huge losses if the produce is sold at that rate,” he added.<br /><br />Though traders from other cities come in search of grapes, they offer little money and take away half of the harvest. Extracting money from them is a Herculean task, he added. “Traders refuse to buy the produce if one pressures them for more money,” Narayanaswamy said.<br /><br />It is a tight situation, as there is no insurance for the crop. Aid from the government never comes on time, he added.<br /></p>
