Pollachi:In Anaimalai area of Coimbatore district, farmers have started showing interest in ginger cultivation due to lack of profit in paddy cultivation.
The rice fields of Anaimalai Karaveli, where the water of Azhiyaru river flowed into the fields through the ancient 5 Ayakatdu canals, and the paddy fields of Anaimalai Karaveli, which have been transformed into Kurvai, Samba, Taladi, are now being prepared for alternative crops. If the school becomes clear, the farmers who have not had enough income from paddy cultivation in the past few years in the Amman Vaikal field area of North Kallur have started to earn profit by choosing ginger as an alternative crop.
Regarding this, paddy farmers say, “Paddy farming is gradually decreasing in Anaimalai area. The area under paddy cultivation, which used to be 6,400 acres, has now shrunk to about 2,700 acres. It is not enough for the government to establish a procurement station alone. Steps should be taken to get the right price for paddy. Otherwise the shift of farmers to alternative crops is inevitable.
Even if there is yield in paddy, there is loss due to shortage of laborers, rise in price of inputs, non-availability of harvesters etc. The area under paddy cultivation is decreasing due to losses due to climate change. So, farmers are switching to ginger,” he said.
Cultivated ginger crop.
Horticulture officials say, “hill ginger grows well in well-drained, clayey soils in humid tropical regions up to about 1,500 meters above sea level.
There will be no problem in its sale as it is a commodity that is in demand throughout the year. Ginger cultivation is going on in the plains using existing modern technologies. “Farmers are showing interest in ginger cultivation because they can get extra profit if they sell ginger as a value-added product,” he said.
The farmers who are cultivating ginger say, “There are two types of ginger cultivation. One variety is harvested from the 6th month after sowing to sell as green ginger. The second type is to harvest the 10-month-old ginger, dry it, prepare it and sell it. On an average, 150 bundles weighing 60 kg are available per acre,” he said.
