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Skyrocketing prices, hike in power tariff dampen festive spirit
Farmers also rue lack of remunerative price for their produce
Nellore: Skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, lack of remunerative prices for farmers and hike in power tariff’ dampened the spirit of people to celebrate Makara Sankranti in a big way in the district.
Farmers in the district are facing funds shortage as they did not sell paddy last year waiting for a better price.
According to district agriculture officer P Satyavani, farmers are currently busy in spending money for purchasing fertilisers, pesticides and agriculture needs. She said that in Nellore district, kharif season begins in December and concludes in February.
She said that farmers would get the harvest of kharif crops in February/March and only then they would be able to sell their produce and earn some money.
Due to funds constraint this year, they are not showing interest to spend money to purchase clothes, gold and other things for Sankranti festival.
A wholesale rice merchant Konjeti Gopal of Usmansaheb Pet told The Hans India, that farmers have stored the paddy (last year’s crop) without selling it with an expectation that they would be able to sell it at a good price this year (in 2025). Eventually, farmers incurred losses, he pointed out.
“We are in no mood to celebrate Sankranthi this year, as there were no profits in agricultural cultivation,” said Konagandla Chinna a farmer from Mahalakshmi Puram village inTP Guduru mandal.
Farmers constitute significant portion of population in the district. As they could not make profits, it has hit the prospects of even other businesses including textiles.
“We had just Rs 10 lakh business in 100 general merchant shops this time against Rs 30 lakh business earlier. Mainly our business depends on customers representing the middle class and those coming from rural areas. But they did not show much interest to make purchases this year, “said K Haribabu, wholesale general merchant of Stonehouse Pet in the city. This was evident with the business coming down.
About 200 shops are engaged in retail and wholesale textile business in Chinna Bazar and Trunk Road in the city.
This year business recorded in the cloth market was just Rs 30 lakh against regular festival business of Rs 1 crore, according to the sources.
Except politicians, other sections have not been in a jubilant mood. Most of the people prefer to visit temples and offer prayers.
