Sweet lime cultivation turns sour for growers

Kadapa: Drastic fall in the groundwater levels and scanty rainfall have adversely affected the sweet lime growers in the district. Expecting more rainfall during the last September and October months, growers invested heavily on cultivation of sweet lime. But, their hopes were dashed due to untimely rains and fruits started dropping before ripening.

According to sources, growers raised sweet lime gardens in Pulivendula, Lingala, Simhadripuram, Thondur and Vemula mandals in 10,000 hectares. The sweet lime cultivated in the district is being sold in the cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai as there is heavy demand because of big size, colour and high quantity juice content in the fruit.

Growers sold sweet lime for throw away price as the discoloured fruit had less quantity of juice content. “I was forced to sell sweet lime fruits for cheaper price comparing to the last four years,” said A Neelakanta Reddy, a grower of Vemula mandal. Another grower B Narapu Reddy of Pulivendula mandal stated that he dug a borewell up to a depth of 1,500 metres in his farm by spending Rs 1 lakh.

But, he did not get water from borewell to supply for sweet lime trees. “I supplied water to the crops through tankers. Water was not sufficient as required for the trees,” he stated. AP Rythu Sangam district president B Dastagiri Reddy said that sweet lime farmers have incurred huge losses this year as they were forced to sell the fruit for cheaper price due to various reasons. The Rythu Sangam leader said the cost of one tonne sweet lime dipped to Rs 20,000 from Rs 80,000. However, officials said water was supplied through the tankers to protect sweet lime trees in the district.