Rama Krishna Sangem
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi making an announcement on setting up of a national board for turmeric in Telangana, farmers who cultivate this crops would get a minimum support price, on par with other agricultural products, say the officials in the union agriculture minister. However, the Parliament will have to pass a Bill on establishing this board before a mechanism comes into force.
If things go as per the plan, a Bill on this can be passed in the coming budget session of Parliament thus repeating poll benefit to the ruling BJP, sources said. Though details are not yet worked out, the central officials say the board’s main office will be in Nizamabad while branch units can be in two or three other places like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu too, a they account for considerable turmeric produce.
A turmeric board is an emotional issue for its farmers concentrated in Nizamabad district for several years. Initial steps for the board were taken by TRS MP Kavitha, who collected signatures of several CMs for setting up of it in the state, during her term – 2014-19. But, BJP’s Aravind Dharmapuri made it his major poll plank and gave a written bond, in 2019 elections, promising get the board to Nizamabad. He won the election.
In that LS elections, as many as 178 turmeric farmers had filed their nominations for Nizamabad seat a s a symbolic protest. Though Aravind lobbied hared all the four years, the centre hasn’t responded or almost ruled out setting up a board for the spice. After the BJP top leadership has reviewed the situation and felt that it might lose this LS seat, unless this issue is solved, the PM stepped into and made an announcement at Mahabubnagar on October 1.
The PM will repeat this announcement in his Nizamabad meeting on October 3. He will claim that his government has fulfilled a major election promise made to people of the district. The BJP might get some political advantage with this move. But, BRS too will claim credit for it as its leader Kavitha, now MLC had tried her best all these years. Some say, this turmeric board may not vote decider to any party this time.
India key Turmeric exporter
India exports 80 per cent of the world’s turmeric needs. Besides some parts of Maharashtra, Nizamabad in Telanganag grows this spice in a large scale – in about 1.55 lakh acres, producing about 2.90 lakh tonnes every year. Though the produce is high, market rate for turmeric is not stable, thus causing concern to farmers. It fluctuates from Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 per quntal.
An exclusive national board is expected to take care of these price fluctuations and marketing the produce abroad, besides addressing needs of farmers on cultivation and increasing productivity techniques etc. This board will work like those of tobacco and coconut and coir. Modern farming methods will be made available to turmeric growers, said a regional spices board former member.
Turmeric Farmers Welcome the Board
Nizamabad Turmeric farmers association president Patkuri Tirupati Reddy on October 2, Monday expressed happiness over the PM Modi’s announcement on setting up a national turmeric board in Telangana. “We thank PM Modi for this major announcement which is a long time dream and demand of our farmers. I request the PM to set up the board in Nizamabad and provide representation to turmeric farmers too in it,” said Tirupati Reddy.
