21 March 2025, New Delhi: Garlic farmers in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka are facing a tough time as market prices for their produce have dropped significantly during the harvest season. Initially drawn to garlic cultivation by its lucrative returns, many farmers are now struggling to cope with unexpected financial losses.
Farmers had invested heavily in garlic and onion cultivation, expecting high profits. However, garlic crops sown in mid-December are now ready for harvest, and the market demand has slumped. This decline in demand has forced farmers to sell their garlic in local markets instead of exporting it as initially planned.
Rangaswamy, a farmer from the region, explained, “We sourced quality seeds from the Salem market at a cost of around ₹50,000 per quintal. In total, we have invested lakhs of rupees in these crops. When we planted, the market rate was about ₹25,000 per quintal, but now it has fallen to just ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 per quintal. We haven’t even recovered half of our expenses, and wholesalers are not interested in buying.”
Although the drop in prices has made garlic more affordable for consumers, now available at approximately ₹100 per kilogram, it has not eased the financial burden on the farmers. Basavshetti, another farmer, noted that the situation has pushed growers to speed up their harvest and transport their produce to the Salem market, hoping for slightly better returns.
The steep decline in garlic prices has left farmers uncertain about the future, questioning whether the risks of cultivating such crops are still worth the investment.
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