New Delhi: Due to the escalating prices of garlic in Madhya Pradesh, farmers are employing extraordinary measures to protect their valuable harvest from theft. With garlic prices exceeding Rs 400 per kilogram in retail markets and fluctuating between Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 per quintal in wholesale markets, farmers are resorting to unconventional security tactics. To safeguard their crops, farmers have installed CCTV cameras and hired armed guards to deter potential thieves.
In Mangrola village, situated 12 kilometers from Ujjain’s Chintaman Road, a heightened level of security can be observed amongst the lush fields of garlic crops. Security guards and armed farmers patrol the fields vigilantly, while others use CCTV surveillance systems to monitor their land remotely from their homes.
“After facing significant losses in the past two years while cultivating garlic, fortune seems to be on our side this year,” Bais remarked. He mentioned that farmers are now getting Rs 200 per kilogram for their crop. “Our garlic crop will be ready in the next 15 days, so we are safeguarding our farm in this manner,” added Bais.
Mohammad Saleem, a vegetable trader at AKS Company in Bhopal, expressed surprise at the unprecedented surge in garlic prices. “I have never seen garlic prices rise to such levels before,” he commented. Saleem disclosed that the wholesale price of high-quality garlic has reached Rs 200 per kilogram in the market. He also noted the daily fluctuations in wholesale prices across different regions of Madhya Pradesh.
Approximately 30,000 farmers cultivate 91,000 tonnes of garlic in Mandsaur district, with garlic also being grown in Ratlam, Chhindwara, Agar Malwa, Indore, Dewas, and Shajapur districts in the state.
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