Copyright thehindu
Stable prices for turmeric, also known as the golden spice, have encouraged farmers to expand cultivation, leading to a significant increase in the area under the crop in Erode district over the past two years. Known for its high curcumin content ranging from 2.5% to 3.9%, the Erode turmeric, which has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is a major crop cultivated in the ayacut areas irrigated by the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, Kalingarayan canal, and Arakkankottai-Thadapalli canals. The 10-month crop is sown in June-July and harvested in February-March. After processing, turmeric is brought to the regulated and agricultural producers’ cooperative markets in Erode, Perundurai, and Gobichettipalayam. At the markets, turmeric finger are traded between ₹8,300 and ₹14,000 a quintal, while turmeric bulb fetch between ₹8,100 and ₹13,100 a quintal. Prices that hovered between ₹15,000 and ₹16,000 a decade ago had dropped sharply to ₹5,000-₹7,000, forcing many farmers to shift to other crops. However, post COVID-19, domestic and international demand for turmeric increased, leading to better price realisation. On March 13, 2024, turmeric prices touched a record high of ₹21,369 a quintal. Prices later declined due to an increase in the area under cultivation across the country and factors such as low yield, poor quality, and incessant rains. “Prices have stabilised above ₹13,000 a quintal over the past two years,” said Karuppasamy, a farmer from Modakkurichi, adding that steady prices and strong demand have encouraged more farmers to take up turmeric cultivation, especially in Kodumudi and Modakkurichi taluks. Deputy Director of Horticulture M. Guru Saraswathi said the area under turmeric cultivation has risen as farmers were able to earn good profits. The area under cultivation (in acres) stood at: 2020-21 – 10,522; 2021-22 – 11,880; 2022-23 – 11,599; 2023-24 – 9,190; 2024-25 – 11,406; and 2025-26 – 11,860, she added. Farmers have, however, sought improvements in rhizome quality and post-harvest processing methods, as these factors directly affect the final quality and market value of turmeric products. On Wednesday, at the Erode Regulated Market, turmeric was traded at ₹9,299-₹14,114 a quintal for finger and ₹8,099-₹13,199 a quintal for bulb.
