As the price of pineapple crashed recently, Nadukkara Agro Processing company through Horticorp will procure 200 tonnes of pineapple from the farmers. A meeting chaired by Eldho Abraham MLA and attended by Nadukkara Agro Processing company MD Shibu Kumar, directors, pineapple merchants and pineapple farmers associations was held at Muvattupuzha on Friday.
The procurement of pineapple will provide relief for the farmers hit by the low price. The procurement will start from Saturday. On the first day, two tonnes of pineapple will be procured. Later from Monday to Thursday, 50 tonnes each will be procured.
As many as 30 per cent procurement will be of A-grade ripe pineapples. The pineapples of farmers who approach Horticorp with a certificate issued by the respective agriculture officer will be procured. Last year, when the pineapple price was down, Horticorp had procured pineapple from the farmers.
However, there was an allegation only pineapple from selected farmers was procured. To avoid such complaints, the decision was taken to procure pineapple from farmers having certification from the agriculture officer. The support price for the pineapple will be Rs 17 (USD 0.24) per kg.
The authorities expect with Horticorp carrying out procurement drive, the price of pineapple at the wholesale and retail market will improve.
Agriculture Minister V. S. Sunil Kumar had visited Vazhakulam market to evaluate the price difference of pineapple.
Source: The New Indian Express