Unseasonal rain hits straw demand, TN farmers worried
One of the reasons cited for the low demand is ample rains across the state and abundance of greenery.
'Very few traders are buying straw. Even those who do offer only around Rs 50 per bundle, whereas last year we got Rs 80,' said R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathanadu.
Officials said summer paddy harvest was nearing completion, adding that farmer concerns over poor straw sales were genuine. Many farmers attribute the reduced demand to the unexpected summer rains, which may have affected the storage and usability of the straw.
'In Ammapettai, the price has dropped to as low as Rs 30- Rs 35 per bundle. This is a huge drop compared to earlier years,' said R Senthilkumar, a farmer and the district deputy secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association.
Typically farmers get 50-60 bundles of straw per acre.
'When demand is good, we get even up to Rs 100 per bundle,' said N K Rajan, a farmer from Thanjavur.
'But this season, because of low rates, we are losing nearly Rs 3,000 per acre,' added Senthilkumar.
Traders from districts like Salem and Namakkal, who once sourced straw from Thanjavur for mushroom cultivation, seem to be absent this season, another factor contributing to the slump in prices.
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