Ankapalle jaggery worth Rs 3 crore sold in a day

VISAKHAPATNAM: Jaggery sales, which were suspended from March third week due to lockdown, has resumed with gusto at the Ankapalle market yard after permission was given by district officials.
The market yard has been bustling with activity ever since the auctions began. Now only two days of sales are being allowed—every Tuesday and Friday, while farmers bring jaggery lumps in auto-rickshaws to the yard on every Monday and Thursday.

Business worth Rs 3 crore was conducted on Tuesday as 53,398 jaggery lumps were sold at the yard. Each lump weighs between 12 kg and 15 kg. When compared to last transaction done on April 15, there has been a hike in prices to `230 per kg, bringing cheer to jaggery farmers. On April 15, the first day after resumption of jaggery sales, 54,100 lumps arrived. While prices of number one quality of jaggery rose to `3,840 per quintal from last week’s `3,610 per quintal, number two quality was sold at `3,470 per quintal as against `3,400 per quintal last week. 

However, there was  a drop in black jaggery prices as it was sold for `3,160 per quintal on Tuesday as compared to `3,090 per quintal. The peak season of jaggery is from January to April as farmers from different places in the district bring on an average of 15,000 lumps daily. However, the farmers’ hopes were dashed as the sale of jaggery was stopped due to lockdown.

They feared the prolonged lockdown would cause huge losses to them as the stocks with them will suffer damage. However, the district administration came to their rescue by allowing sale of jaggery for two days in a week. Now, they seem to be happy as all the stocks being brought by the farmers were being purchased though they did not get last year’s maximum price of `4,800 per quintal. Meanwhile, the traders are gearing to export jaggery to Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Drop in prices
There was  a drop in black jaggery prices as it was sold for `3,160 per quintal on Tuesday as compared to `3,090 per quintal. The peak season of jaggery is from January to April as farmers from different places in the district bring on an average of 15,000 lumps daily