Srinagar, Aug 14: The cauliflower farmers in central Kashmir’s Bugam area of Budgam, which has emerged as one of the largest vegetable-producing villages in Kashmir, say they faced severe losses this year due to riceyness.
The farmers said the cauliflower has developed scab like layer at the top due either due to the rains and excessive hot temperature and humidity leaving them worried at the reaping stage.
Abdul Majeed, a framer, said that some 400 kanals of land which is under cauliflower cultivation in the village has been affected and farmers have suffered huge damage this year.
“I was waiting to sell my cauliflower produce. My farm had good crop and quality this year but it has been affected due to the rains, sudden increase in temperature and humidity,” he said. “Our village produces hundreds of quintals of cauliflower. People in the village shifted to vegetable farming around two decades back. This year has been bad in terms of crop produce.”
As per the farmers, one land of cauliflower can fetch Rs 80,000 minimum in the market provided the produce is good.
Majeed said that not only the cauliflowers, he has also faced losses in his two high-tech poly houses which were full of tomatoes. “When the temperature increased earlier this month my tomato produce was ready but humidity affected it and I went into losses,” he said.
Khursheed Ahmad, another farmer, said that the officials of the Agriculture Department Kashmir should take the assessment of the area so that farmers can get some kind of relief.
Khursheed said the cabbage farmers in the area are also worried a lot as they have suffered damage to their produce, forcing a few to destroy their grown crops.
“This year the torrential rains have also affected my cabbage produce which was spread over 5 to 6 kanals of land. When there were rains it affected almost all the vegetables, especially the outdoor ones,” he said.
Another farmer Sajad Ahmad said this year the farmers sown the seeds very late due to the shortage of seed. There was no problem in the seed as has been claimed by some farmers, he said, adding that due to delay in sowing, the growth was delayed and there was also high temperature which might have also affected the cauliflower crop.
Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam, Tafazul Madni said the officials of the agriculture department have taken an on-ground assessment of the village along with the team of experts of KVK Budgam.
“This is because of the sudden temperature fluctuation in hybrid varieties. There is no disease. There is sprouting of the cauliflower. This is purely a physiological disorder. Some farmers have done early transplantation,” he said.
The CAO said there is a slight change in the colour/appearance of cauliflower and inside the vegetable is good and in good quality.
He said a joint diagnostic visit was carried out by Scientists of KVK Budgam and the officers of the Agriculture Department Budgam regarding malformed cauliflower heads at Bugam.
“Once the curd was closely examined, it was observed that there was a velvety or granular appearance on the surface of the curd along with purplish colour ting. It was concluded that it could be a physiological disorder namely, riceyness of cauliflower, and is caused due to higher or lower temperature for a particular variety or temperature fluctuation at the time of curd formation and development,” officials said
They said that the purple colour in the curd was attributed to anthocyanin production which is formed because of high temperatures.
“It was observed that during the first week of August, the temperature in the valley was recorded as high as 30 to 32°C which might have caused the above-mentioned problem. Local farmers also confirmed that the affected crop was transplanted earlier than usual which could be the reason the curd formation coincided with the prevailing unusual high temperature that might have caused the problem,” they said.
The diagnostic team recommended the selection of proper variety/ hybrid and transplanting at the proper/ right time which controls this disorder.
The Chief Agriculture Officer further confirmed that there was no issue with the crop. As far as its consumption is concerned, the curd has only lost its usual look, not the consumption quality.
