War: Sweet Orange Price Crashes In Anantapur
The Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool areas of Rayalaseema have huge production of sweet orange due to its suitable soils along with the irrigation facility from Krishna waters through the Handri Neeva Sujala Shravanthi project.
ANANTAPUR: The Anantapur sweet orange market, the biggest in the state, witnesses severe price crash and farmers are unable to get minimum support price following disruptions in exports to the Gulf countries due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
As exports were hit, traders depended purely on local markets. In addition, the sweet orange farmer from Rayalaseema region has to compete with the fruits from Maharashtra in northern markets.
The Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool areas of Rayalaseema have huge production of sweet orange due to its suitable soils along with the irrigation facility from Krishna waters through the Handri Neeva Sujala Shravanthi project.
More than 90 per cent of sweet orange, of about 22 lakh tonnes, are produced in Rayalaseema region, while 48,000 hectares in Anantapur and 37,000 hectares Kadapa district have orange orchards. These two districts together account for a major portion of the crop area.
Top quality sweet oranges areas sold at around Rs 22,000 a tonne in the Anantapur market yard. Farmer Narayana Swamy of Garladinne observed the farmers fetched at least Rs 33,000 per tonne previously, excluding additional expenses like market cess. The present prices are too low and farmers are unable to recover their expenses, another farmer, Gopal, observed.
With exports either delayed or cancelled, large quantities of fruits meant for overseas markets are now reaching local markets.
Traders in Anantapur market say arrivals have increased sharply over the past week. “Export orders have almost halted. The produce is now being diverted to domestic markets, creating oversupply and pushing prices down drastically,” a commission agent said.
Many growers are reportedly forced to sell their produce at distress prices.
Farmers’ associations have urged both the state and central governments to step in and announce minimum support price. Unless export channels are restored quickly or alternative markets identified, the crisis would deepen, putting thousands of sweet orange farmers in the district under financial stress.
