Crisis grips ginger cultivation in Wayanad

Kalpetta, Kerala, Apr 27 (UNI) Slash in market prices, low productivity, expensive farming process and changing weather conditions have caused a setback to ginger cultivation in Waynad district of Kerala.

Since cultivation of pepper, one of the major crops in the district failed, the farmers chose ginger as an alternative with high expectations.

Till recently ginger cultivation was very active in almost all parts of Wayanad. Availability of sufficient rainfalls and good returns attracted the farming community to go in for ginger cultivation extensively.

But the changing weather conditions and instability of market practices have diminished the potential of ginger cultivation.

Uncontrolled diseases affecting the plants had also made things worse forcing the Waynad farmers to migrate to Karnataka where they found suitable land for ginger cultivation.

Coorg District of Karnataka has emerged as a centre for Wayanad ginger growers. Gradually, cultivation of ginger in Karnataka, being a large scale farming on industrial basis with heavy investments, turned out to be unaffordable to small farmers.

Slashed prices, shortage of rainfall and increased expenses for planting forced the small scale farmers to wind up their cultivation and return to Wayanad.

There was no systematic projects to reconstruct the crisis-ridden agriculture sector of Wayanad. No attempts had been made so far to promote farm-based small scale and cottage industries.

According to experts and rights activists, the government should take necessary steps to support the farmers and guide them for alternative farming options to solve the crisis.

It is a welcome sign that the banking sector has come forward to provide loans to farmers at nominal interest rates.

UNI