Karnataka carom seed farmers take the brunt as demand from Corona hit China shrinks

Northern Karnataka's carom seed exports to China have been hit due to suspension of trade following the spread of coronavirus. Last year, the farmers had sold one tonne of carom seeds for Rs 30,000 per quintal, and the rate this year has come down to Rs 5,000 per quintal.

Bagalkot (Karnataka): The coronavirus outbreak, which is wreaking havoc in China, has hit the carom seed farmers hard across various talukas of northern Karnataka.

Around 10 of quintals of carom seed (Ajwain), cultivated by the local farmers over thousands of acres of land to be exported to China, are now lying unsold at Dhannur village alone in Hungund taluk of Bagalkot district.

Normally, the locally cultivated carom seeds are exported to China through Kurnool Agricultural Market Committee (KAMC) in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, but the trade this year has been almost negligible.

These carom seeds do not drive much demand on a local level and the farmers mainly bank upon its export to China to generate revenue.

"We cultivate carom seeds but there is no local market. We have to take the produce to Kurnool. Even at Kurnool, they are saying that there is no demand because of coronavirus. We looked for local markets but there are none, "Mahanthesh Bevur, a carom farmer told ETV Bharat

Last year, the farmers had sold one tonne of carom seeds for Rs 30,000 per quintal. The rate, this year, has come down to Rs 5,000 per quintal following the outbreak of coronavirus in China and the subsequent suspension of trade between the two countries.

"Last year, the price was anywhere between Rs 30,000 to 20,000, but this year there is no sale. The brokers say that coronavirus in China has affected the trade. If we store our produce in a warehouse for too long, the carom seeds tend to wither away and we are afraid we won't get any money at all, " Mahanthesh Huddar, another carom farmer told ETV Bharat.

China mainly imports these seeds from India for the production of pain soothing balms.

The sudden decline in the demand for carom seeds has led to apprehension among the farmers, and this anxiety is not just limited to Hungund but the farmers engaged in the cultivation of this spice in Muddebihal and Basavana Bagewadi taluks of Vijayapura districts are also feeling the heat of the sudden turn of events.