Hubballi: Onion growers here are staring at a huge loss, following extensive crop damage due to heavy rains for the last two months.Much of the crops were ready to be harvested over the next couple of days, when unexpected heavy rains left farmers in quandary. With rains still lashing the districts, water-borne crop diseases have proliferated, including fungal diseases and Koleroga. Veeresh Kenchammanalli, a farmer from Ballari district, said: “I have grown onion on nine acres of land by borrowing money from private money lenders. However, I could not harvest the crop due to heavy rains, and the produce on around five acres was damaged due to leaf blight disease. Now, I am facing a big loss and I’m in debt.” Pradeep Maliyappanavar, a farmer from Huvinahadagli, said: “I grew onion on four acres of land, but I had to suffer a loss after my crop on two acres was damaged due to rain. I have no other option but to sell my land to repay the loan.” Siddesh, the president of the State Onion Farmers Association, told TOI that with moderate rainfall initially, farmers had begun sowing onion in the kharif season, hoping to earn a good profit. But the rains have shattered their dreams.” With the crops taking a hit, prices have come down to Rs 300-Rs800 for the medium variety, and Rs 900-Rs1,200 priced for the good variety, which is very low for the farmers, given that farmers end up spending nearly Rs80,000 to grow onions on one acre of land, Siddesh explained. Under the current circumstances, many farmers have decided to leave the standing crop in the fields itself. He said the Central govt should announce a minimum support price of Rs 4,000 and open procurement centres, apart from offering incentives to farmers to help them tide over this crisis.
