Though harvesting of turmeric has commenced in nearby districts and in Karnataka, arrival of new turmeric to the regulated markets in Erode continues to be low, as the spice was traded for around ₹15,000 a quintal here on Friday.
Turmeric harvested in the districts of Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu and Chamarajanagar, Kollegal and Mandya and other districts in south Karnataka and few other areas in Andhra Pradesh were brought to the markets in Erode.
Auctioning is carried out everyday at four places in Erode district namely the Agricultural Producers Cooperative Marketing Society Limited in Gobichettipalayam and at Karungalpalayam in Erode and regulated markets at Perundurai and the market in the Turmeric Market Complex owned by Erode Turmeric Merchants and Godown Owners’ Association.
Usually harvesting begins in January and new turmeric starts to arrive at the markets from February. But due to low price, farmers had shown less interest in cultivating the crop last year.
“Only after the price appreciated, they started to sow a month later delaying harvesting,” said M. Sathyamurthy, secretary of Erode Turmeric Merchants and Godown Owners’ Association.
He told The Hindu that area under cultivation across the country had dropped by 30% and fresh turmeric started to arrive only from Karnataka and nearby districts. “Fresh turmeric from Erode is expected to arrive in March as harvesting commences,” he added. The secretary said based on the current year’s yield and area under cultivation for the next season, the price of turmeric will be decided in the coming months.
While new turmeric is auctioned between ₹10,300 a quintal and ₹15,100 a quintal, the price of old turmeric hover between ₹8,600 a quintal and ₹13,200 a quintal. Arrival of new turmeric to the country’s biggest market, Nizamabad in Telangana, and to the markets at Sangli in Maharashtra remain low, said the secretary.
Farmers in Kodumudi and Modakkurichi taluks, where turmeric is widely cultivated, said they would bring their produce to markets in March after which price would go up. Turmeric had fetched an all-time high price of ₹17,000 a quintal in 2010 and touched a low of ₹3,300 a quintal in 2012.
