Chrysanthemum farmers in Udupi district have suffered losses due to inclement weather at the beginning of the season and then due to the lockdown.
Chrysanthemum is cultivated in about 60 acres at Hemmady and Katbelthur villages in Udupi district for generations, and is popularly known as ‘Hemmady Sevantige.’
Most chrysanthemum farmers have small holdings ranging from 50 cents to one acre of land. According to the Horticulture Department, 28 tonnes of chrysanthemum is grown annually in the district.
The farmers cultivate the first crop in August, the second crop in September, and the third crop in October. It takes around six months for the chrysanthemum plants to yield flowers. The flowers of the first crop bloom by January 10.
These chrysanthemums are sold at the flower market at Maranakatte village, 14 km from Hemmady. It is customary for the farmers to offer a portion of their crop to the Sri Brahmalingeshwara Temple at Maranakatte during the temple fair known as Maranakatte Jatre on January 14.
But the farmers faced problem during the first crop. Mahabala Devadiga, who grows chrysanthemum in about an acre of land, and president of Sevantige Belegarara Sangha, said that it was not chilly enough in December, 2019, and this affected the blooming of the flowers and the farmers had to lose half their crop.
“But even before we could recover from this, the lockdown in March increased our losses, as we could not sell flowers to the temples nor were there any big functions,” he said.
According to the Sangha, the loss suffered by farmers was around ₹1 lakh per acre. “The government’s compensation of ₹25,000 per hectare is not enough,” he said.
Guruprasad, Assistant Director of Horticulture, said that the farmers who were already registered during the crop survey would get the compensation. “The others could register with the Department for the compensation,” he said.
