Upset at jasmine price crash, Krishnagiri farmers dump tonnes of flowers in Thenpannai

CHENNAI: Unable to get a fair price for their produce, jasmine farmers dumped around three tonnes of flowers into the Thenpennai river near Kaveripattinam in Krishnagiri district, highlighting the severe price crash amid a glut in the market.

Jasmine glut causes price slump

Jasmine is cultivated on around 1,500 acres across Kaveripattinam, Thimmapuram, Avathavattam, Sandur and Bargur, among other areas within a 40-km radius. More than 250 farmers depend on the crop for their livelihood.

However, the rising temperatures have triggered early flowering, resulting in a glut and a sharp fall in prices in the wholesale and open markets over the past few days.

Over the last two days, around 50 tonnes of jasmine were transported in 40 goods vans, of which nearly five tonnes could not be sold. Perfume (attar) manufacturing units offered only very low prices, leaving farmers unable to recover their costs.

Jasmine farmers seek govt intervention

With no adequate local facilities to sell the surplus flowers and prices remaining unviable, farmers were forced to dump around three tonnes of jasmine into the Thenpennai river near Kaveripattinam.

Farmer Balaji said the flowers had bloomed prematurely due to the change in weather. As a result, production is expected to decline during the upcoming festival season, causing heavy losses to growers.

He urged the government to establish a perfume manufacturing unit in Krishnagiri to utilise surplus jasmine and prevent farmers from suffering similar losses in the future.