Experts conduct field-level visits for securing GI tag to Armoor Turmeric

Hyderabad: The world-famous Armoor Turmeric has taken a significant step forward in its geographical indication efforts. A team led by Dr Pidigam Saidaiah, Principal Researcher at Telangana Horticultural University, along with B Mahender, Head of the Turmeric Research Station in Kammarapalli, and Praveen, District Development Officer at NABARD in Nizamabad, on Thursday visited Jakranpalli, Nandipet, and Armoor mandals in the Nizamabad district as part of a geographical indication study.

The team collaborated with local farmers to conduct surveys, visiting fields across various mandals. They collected comprehensive statistics on the turmeric varieties used for cultivation, their characteristics, the type of land employed, the cultivation technologies, tools, machinery details, seed treatments, sowing methods, fertiliser types, and irrigation techniques. Additionally, they gathered information regarding the characteristics of turmeric varieties entering the Agricultural Market Committee in Nizamabad, pricing, and the types of products available in the turmeric market. Dr Pidigam Saidaiah reported that over 80 per cent of the turmeric grown in Nizamabad belongs to the “Erra Guntur” variety, with very few other varieties present in the market. This particular variety is highly valued by farmers in the Nizamabad district for its high yield, vibrant colour, quality, and excellent dry recovery percentage.

Saidaiah noted that there is a strong global demand for exports of the variety. He confirmed that most of the necessary information for the geographical indication application for Armoor turmeric has been gathered, and an application will be submitted in Chennai soon. He emphasised that turmeric farmers in this region are setting a national example by adopting modern machinery and improved irrigation methods.

Dr B Mahender added that farmers cultivate turmeric in both black cotton soils and red soils mixed with tank silt. The Secretary of the Agricultural Market Committee in Nizamabad mentioned that turmeric typically reaches the market from December to the end of May, with significant volumes arriving during February, March, and April.