Over 2k farmers feel pandemic pinch, fail to get good price for watermelons

Prayagraj: Farmers are unable to sell their watermelon and cucumber crops this year which are otherwise in huge demand in summers and are feeling the pinch of pandemic and traffic restrictions as the supply chain has been hit.
This year, farmers of Prayagraj and neighbouring Kaushambi are forced to sell watermelon at Rs 6 or Rs 7 per kg in wholesale mandis, unlike last year when they sold it for Rs 12 and Rs 14 per kg.
They said lockdown and poor market conditions have hit profit, as very few customers are booking orders in fruit and vegetable madis these days.
Agriculture expert Manoj Srivastava told TOI, “Farmers in Asrawal Khurd, Mooratganj, Laxmanpur, Ijuha and adjoining villages grew watermelon and cucumber in thousands of acres this year. After making investments, it is worrying they are unable to get right price for their crops.”
Sujeet, a farmer said, “Farmers in Prayargaj and Kaushambi region cultivate watermelons and melons using seeds of hybrid variety. These crops have a higher TSS (Total Solid Sugar) value and are cultivated using the mulch film cultivation technique.”
Ordinary watermelons are green on the exterior and bright red inside. But the hybrid varieties elon have different colours. Vishala, a hybrid watermelon, is yellow on the exterior and bright red on the interior, while Anmol, another hybrid variety, is green on the exterior and yellow on the interior).
Moreover, a majority of farmers did not grow tomatoes and ladyfingers in trans-Ganga belt of Prayagraj this year as their crop in 1,700 acres were ruined by neelgai last year. Over 2,000 farmers of Kaushambi and Prayagrajhave urged state government to provide them some relief.