Farmers’ woes in Maharashtra show no signs of abating. Sometimes nature strikes and sometimes market blows. In most cases the farmers do not get the right price for their produce. Now the farmers are frustrated because they are not getting fair price for marigold flowers. But now is the time of celebration. Farmers said that ahead of the festival of Dussehra and Diwali, they started cultivation of marigold flowers in the hope of getting good prices, but due to low prices, all hopes of the farmers were dashed. Along with this, due to rain in several districts of the state, the flower cultivation of most of the farmers has been destroyed. But the biggest shock is due to the low price.
A large number of farmers have reached Manmad Bazaar Committee in Nashik district to sell marigolds ahead of Dussehra. But due to not getting the right price of flowers, the farmers who produce flowers are in trouble. At present, farmers are getting the price of flowers from 15 to 25 rupees per kg. The flower growers have expressed their anger. Farmers say that the Dussehra and Diwali celebrations of our flower growers have started to fade due to falling prices. First the shock of nature and now the market has made us cry.
Calculating production costs is difficult
Hoping that Dussehra and Diwali will be sweet, farmers grow flowers with the little water left during the drought, but the price of flowers has fallen and now it is difficult to meet the cost of production. So the dream of farmers to sweeten the Dussehra-Diwali festival by selling flowers has been dashed. Farmers said that currently marigold flowers are being sold in the market at the maximum price of Tk 25 per kg. Currently its price is 40 to 60 taka per kg.
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Farmer’s hope broken
A festive atmosphere has started across the country due to the festival. Festivals are coming one after another. Dussehra is here after Navratri and Diwali is going to be celebrated a few days later. The market is full of flowers. But the farmers are expressing their anger for not getting the right price. Due to the lack of water for the last three-four months during the monsoon season, there has been a huge loss of crops. Now the farmers are in trouble due to rain in many places. Farmers were hoping to earn money during the festival but the market disappointed them.
Effect of low rainfall on crops
Most of the farmers in the state are now focusing on increasing production of horticultural crops in addition to traditional crops. Some are cultivating flowers. But the flower growers are sometimes in trouble due to the treachery of nature and sometimes due to low prices in the market. In other districts of the state like Nadesh and Latur, arrival of flowers in the market has also reduced by 30 to 40 per cent due to rains which has adversely affected floriculture. However, low prices are a cause for concern for farmers.
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