Assam: Lamshakhang farmers cry for support amid vegetable price crash

Farmers in the Lamshakhang area under Donkamokam Revenue Circle of West Karbi Anglong district are in deep distress as vegetable prices in the local market have collapsed, pushing many cultivators toward a financial crisis.

Brinjal, a key crop in the region, is currently selling for as low as ₹2 to ₹3 per kilogram. Other vegetables like bottle gourd, pumpkin, and ridge gourd are also fetching abysmally low rates, barely covering transportation, let alone the cost of cultivation.

Kishun Deo Chauhan, a local farmer, said the situation is dire. “We are spending thousands on fertilisers, pesticides, and labour. But the market rates are so poor that we can’t even recover our basic expenses,” he said. He also pointed out that even alternative crops like sugarcane are no longer viable. “The jaggery made from sugarcane is selling at only ₹25 to ₹30 per kilogram, which is unsustainable.”

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Despite good road connectivity in the area, farmers say that limited access to competitive markets is worsening the crisis. They are now appealing to traders from outside the region to visit directly and buy their produce in bulk, which they hope will ensure fairer prices and reduce dependency on middlemen who often dictate the market.

The farming community has also called upon the state government and agricultural marketing agencies for immediate intervention. Many are demanding the introduction of minimum support prices for vegetables and better marketing infrastructure to help reduce distress sales and prevent crop dumping.

Unless timely measures are taken, the farmers fear they may be forced to abandon cultivation altogether, dealing a blow to the region’s rural economy.