With over 60% of the units involved in processing turmeric and making value-added products started functioning, turmeric trading is nearing normalcy here on Friday.
Turmeric is cultivated on over 7,500 hectare in the district and the produce is auctioned at the regulated markets located at Semmampalayam in Erode and Perundurai and through the Agricultural Producers Co-operative Marketing Society at Karungalpalayam in Erode and at Gobichettipalayam. Since the society at Gobichettipalayam is coming under containment zone, the market is yet to open. The other three markets were opened on April 22. On an average, 5,000 to 6,500 bags of turmeric arrives from these markets and auctioned.
K.V. Ravishankar, president, Erode Turmeric Merchants and Godown Owners Association (Erode Manjal Vanigarkal Matrum Kidangu Urimaiyalargal Sangam) said to The Hindu that on an average, 3,000 to 5,000 bags of turmeric used to arrive in May for the past 10 years. On Friday, 3,300 bags arrived in the market.
He said that there were over 60 units involved in processing turmeric and making value addition products in the district and most of them had started functioning for the last one week.
“More traders have started arriving and the market will be back to normal soon,” he said and added that once all the units started functioning, demand for turmeric would go up.
During auctioning, if farmers failed to get suitable price, they stocked their produce in the godowns and waited for price to increase. Hence, about six lakh to eight lakh bags of turmeric were usually kept in godowns.
On Friday, at the Erode Regulated Market, the finger turmeric was sold at ₹ 5,399 to ₹ 6,888 while the bulb variety at ₹ 5,269 to ₹ 6,129.
