Ooty garlic selling for peanuts in hill markets

OOTY: Ooty garlic is now available for a throwaway price for the first time in the Nilgiris. Last month the price touched an all-time low of `50 per kg and is now sold on the pavements at `20. The rate has decreased from `200 per kg. Last year around the same time, the price ranged between `150 and `200 depending upon the quality. Many street vendors have now started selling garlic for a song on the pavements outside the municipality market. The demand for Ooty garlic is usually high due to its quality and Kerala traders used to purchase garlic at Ooty and Mettupalayam markets. After the Mullaiperiyar issue, Kerala merchants moved to Karnakata where vegetables are cheaper than in the Nilgiris. This year, the garlic yield in the hill district has also increased. Street vendor Ravi (48) says, “I am selling second quality garlic now for `15 to 20 per kg. Some bargain for `10 knowing that quality garlic is available at `30 to `40. Garlic producers are badly hit as they cannot earn even the production cost this year. This year, production of Ooty garlic is huge due to good weather.”R Krishnan, a farmer, said, “Not just garlic; all other vegetables produced in the district have sold at cheap rates for the past several months. The major consumers of the Nilgiris vegetables are Keralites. Though the quality of vegetables in Karnataka is not so good, the Kerala merchants found it easy to visit Mysore and Bangalore and transport loads during the Mullaiperiyar agitation period.”