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Chitra Phadnis

BANGALORE, April 21

AN acute power shortage in Karnataka in February has led to a 40 per cent fall in gherkin production in the State.

Since power-driven drip irrigation is being carried out in most gherkin growing areas, sowing came to a standstill following the power crisis. As a result, the output has been seriously affected and the industry is in dire straits unable to fulfil export commitments forcing the Karnataka State Agriculture Produce Processing and Export Corporation Ltd (KAPPEC) and the Indian Gherkin Exporters Association to appeal to the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL).

This, ironically, happened to a crop that has been identified as the State's first agri-export zone. Luckily, it was the same status which pushed KPTCL to respond by directing its subdivisions to make sure that gherkin farms receive at least 6 hours of continuous supply a day.

In the last six months since notification of gherkins as an AEZ, it is problems like this that the State Government has been trying to address. Gherkins, a 100 per cent export commodity, is a Rs 125-crore business in the State. If the infrastructure hurdles are overcome, it could be doubled, according to the State Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Mr N.Vishwanathan. ``Farmers could get an increased income of Rs 20,000 per acre as against Rs 3,500 from ragi,'' he said.

In the 20-25 high level meetings on AEZs since September last year, issues discussed have ranged from provision of high quality seeds to developing roads.

The University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad and Bangalore have been entrusted with a seed evaluation project which would say which variety was suitable in which month in which area, said the Additional Director of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Mr Ravindra. A separate study has been commissioned on integrated pest management to counter the fruit borer pest that infected gherkins, affecting exports and causing consignments to be rejected last year, he said.

There have been proposals to make loans and farm credit easier. Banks, for instance, were unwilling to give loans for gherkin cultivation because there was no fixed scale of finance. However, the State Government has arrived at a figure — Rs 18,000 per acre — clearing the way for future loans.

There has also been a proposal to lend farmers at the same rates as EOUs. Under this scheme, farmers can avail loans at 8-8.5 per cent interest rates to buy them.

To promote gherkins export, APEDA is planning a series of exhibitions projecting them a gherkins as `produce of India'. One such exhibition is lined up in September to be held in Moscow.

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