Farmers protested against the low prices offered to tuberose, popularly known as sugandharaj, by dumping the flowers by the roadside in T Narsipura on Tuesday. PHOTO; Arranged
| Photo Credit: arranged
Farmers dumped a huge quantity of tuberose flowers, locally known as sugandharaj, by the roadside in T. Narsipur to protest against the collapse in prices.
The farmers who were upset with a local essential oils extraction company for offering a very low price for their commodity, dumped the flowers near the new Tirumakudalu circle in T. Narsipur town on Tuesday to mark their protest.
Siddesh, president, T. Narsipur unit of Federation of State Farmers’ Association, said that the essential oils extraction company was offering only ₹20 per kg for the flowers against the ₹47 per kg it was paying earlier. As the yield of flowers had gone up, the farmers were bringing about 7,000 to 8,000 kgs to the market in T. Narsipur every day.
The farmers alleged that the company has been purchasing flowers from contractual farmers in Gauribidanur and outside the State ignoring the interests of the local farmers.
“The company is offering only ₹20 per kg to non-contractual farmers in T. Narsipur region,” he alleged. The collapse in prices will hit the farmers hard as they were expecting a bountiful harvest in July, he added.
The price of tuberose, if sold in the open market, ranges from ₹60 to ₹100 per kg during regular times and reaches ₹150 per kg during festivals and wedding season, while it fetches even ₹400 per kg during Ayudha Pooja, he contended.
Horticulture Department officials said they will convene a meeting with the management of the essential oils’ extraction company and farmers’ representatives under the chairmanship of the Tahsildar in T. Narsipur next week to resolve the issue.
According to sources familiar with the development, the essential oils company had roped in agents to source its requirement of tuberose for the extraction of aromatic oils for its export market. The company had laid down strict guidelines on the measures to be taken for the cultivation of tuberose by the farmers so that its product meets international standards.
As the farmers were selling the produce in the open market whenever the prices were higher, the company began enlisting farmers from Gauribidanur and other areas to meet its requirement.
Meanwhile, Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture Department Shantha M. said tuberose was cultivated on about 150 to 200 hectares in T. Narsipur region. “Each acre yields anywhere between 3 to 5 tonnes of tuberose”, she said adding that the yield peaks during July every year.
She was hopeful that a resolution to the issue will be found during the meeting convened by the Horticulture Department in T. Narsipur next week, where representatives of farmers and the company will be invited.
Published – May 21, 2025 07:55 pm IST