Pineapple growers in distress in Chikkamagaluru

Farmers, who had cultivated pineapple in the district are in distress, owing to the lockdown and lack of transportation facilities to transport the harvest to the market.

Jayanna, a farmer from Gopala Colony of Tarikere, had cultivated pineapple on two acres of land and the fruit was ready for harvest when the lockdown was announced.

"The traders have been offering throwaway prices to purchase the produce from the farmland. As a result, the farmers are in distress. I sold five quintal pineapple at Rs 4 per kg to the sellers. I had cultivated pineapple for the first time. If I had received Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg, it would have helped to at least recover the money spent on cultivating the crop," said Jayanna.

About 80 quintal pineapple is ready for harvest. Due to lack of transportation facility, I cannot transport it. The government should purchase directly from farmers and come to our rescue, said another farmer.

Normally, farmers sell the harvest in the market in Hassan. From Hassan, pineapples are sent to markets in Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

Now, there are no buses to transport the crop, said, farmers.