Farmers in Erode, which is a serious turmeric rising district in Tamil Nadu, proceed to reap turmeric for Pongal from a portion of the crow-growing areas, as it is a custom that has been handed on for generations.
The six-to-eight-month crop is cultivated on round 27,000 acres within the district, and the turmeric market in Erode is the second-biggest within the nation, subsequent to Nizamabad in Telangana. The crop is grown broadly within the blocks of Kodumudi, Modakkurichi, Erode, Bhavani, Anthiyur and Gobichettipalayam, which are irrigated by the Kalingarayan Canal, Decrease Bhavani Undertaking Canal, and Arakkankottai and Thadapalli Canals.
Nevertheless, not all the whole turmeric is harvested for the competition. Farmers say the crop on about 250 to 320 acres is harvested by farmers, and merchants buy this to promote throughout the State.
“About 75,000 to 80,000 bunches of turmeric are harvested on an acre and traders usually purchase a bunch from the farmers for ₹3-5,” mentioned R. Selvakumar, secretary of the Kalingarayan Mathagu Pasana Vivasayigal Sabai. Every farmer cultivates turmeric for the competition on 10 to twenty cents of the complete space below turmeric whereas the remainder is harvested in March yearly.
“We are not looking at profit (in harvesting for Pongal). It is a tradition to harvest a portion of our crop for Pongal,” he says.
Within the retail market, a turmeric bunch, that’s tied across the pot when Pongal is ready, is bought between ₹20 and ₹35 as merchants say value in direction of labour and transportation may be very excessive. “It is a seasonal business and we want to make a quick profit,” mentioned a dealer, who transports turmeric to the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
C. Nallasamy, president of the Keel Bhavani Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam, mentioned farmers by no means take into consideration making revenue once they promote turmeric for Pongal as it’s a custom being adopted for generations. “Farmers usually pick bunches from the field and use it at home and also distribute it to relatives,” he mentioned. “All the farmers want to keep up the tradition.”
Unsold turmeric after the competition is transformed into turmeric powder by the merchants and bought at market.