Team Herald
sanguem: The cashew farmers from Sanguem have urged for some mechanism in the regulation of the cashew nut prices in the State and also issue direction for opening of shops dealing with purchase of cashew nuts.
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Under the prevailing circumstances and given the fact that cashew nut prices are reducing by each passing day, the cashew farmers have appealed to the government to devise some subsidy for the cashew growers.
With no mechanism in place and with no retailer shop being opened in the market, the farmers are starting at huge losses as the cashew nut prices will reduce further when the supply of cashew nuts comes at one go in huge quantity.
Since the time of lockdown and in the absence of any shops being open, cashew farmers have been compelled to stock the cashew nuts till the situation improves.
However, small time farmers who solely depend on sale of cashew nuts for their livelihood are presently allegedly been cheated by some vested interest who are in business of buying cashew nuts by making the farmers sell the produce at Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kg, which is very low, complained farmers.
Initially, when the season had commenced, the buying rate for cashew nuts was pegged at Rs 136 per kg and the same was expected to be increased in next few days, informed a farmer.
However, the things changed drastically all of a sudden after the outbreak of coronavirus. With the nation-wide lockdown and closure of all shops, the cashew farmers were left with no other alternative but to store the produce at home or sell at the meagre prices offered by the dealers.
Given the prevailing circumstances and considering the fact that the cashew farmers have no other income to thrive, the farmers have urged the government for some mechanism to regulate the cashew nut prices in the market and also devise a scheme to benefit the cashew farmers under the present circumstances.
