The Hindu
Udupi, Jul 23: The Shankarpura Mallige Belegarara Hitarakshana Vedike has opposed the proposal of the Horticulture Department and the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) to set up a yard in Udupi to auction jasmine flowers grown by farmers in the district.
“Shankarpura Mallige” is grown in Shankarpura and nearby villages in Udupi district.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, president of the vedike Ramakrishna Sharma said that for the past 75 years, farmers growing jasmine in Shankarpura and nearby villages used to come together and decide the price of the flower. This system was transparent and well-ordered. “The auction yard proposed by the department will be a big blow to farmers,” he said.
Restricted sales
The sale of jasmines grown in the Shankarpura belt was restricted to Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The Government’s claim that it wanted to export the flower was hollow.
It should release figures on how many jasmines grown in the district had been exported so far. It should also give details as to where it would be exported, Mr. Sharma said.
“The Shankarpura jasmine cannot be compared with jasmines being auctioned in Bangalore. The flowers grown and auctioned there have a lifespan of up to 15 days. But the lifespan of the Shankarpura jasmine is just 12 hours. This includes the seven hours taken to cut them and release them into the market. The Shankarpura jasmine turns red within two hours of its removal from cold storage. Hence the proposal to set up a cold storage plant for Shankarpura jasmines does not make sense,” he said.
He regretted that although jasmine flowers were destroyed owing to rain, no compensation was being given to growers in the district. No steps had been taken to provide financial incentives to jasmine farmers or to protect and improve their plants. Nothing had been done to improve the yield of jasmine plants either.
Issues ignored
“The Government has not addressed these basic issues. Instead, it is trying to dismantle a system which has worked well for decades,” Mr. Sharma added.
General secretary of vedike Andrew Lobo and general secretary of the Udupi Zilla Krishik Sangha Kudi Srinivas Bhat were present.