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Due to a sudden surge in garlic prices, triggered by untimely rain last year, farmers in India are going to great lengths to protect their crops, including hiring security guards and installing CCTV cameras.
The price of garlic has skyrocketed to between Rs. 300 and Rs. 500 per kilogram, leading to an increase in thefts.
Particularly in Mandsaur district, where a significant amount of garlic is grown, prices have reached up to Rs. 1,000 per kilogram in the retail market.

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Farmers have deployed security guards to protect their produce

Garlic price hike: MP farmers deploy guards to protect crops

By Riya Baibhawi

Feb 26, 2024

07:42 pm

What's the story

Skyrocketing prices of garlic in Madhya Pradesh have led farmers to take drastic measures to safeguard their crops, such as hiring armed guards and setting up CCTV cameras. In Ujjain's Mangrola village, farmers have taken up arms themselves to protect their farms. Notably, retail garlic prices have surpassed Rs. 400 per kilogram, with wholesale rates ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 35,000 per quintal across the state.

Context

Why does this story matter?

Garlic—a kitchen staple—has witnessed a meteoric surge in its prices since the start of this month. Untimely rain in October and November last year is said to be the main reason behind this rise. Notably, MP is not the only state experiencing this crisis. Currently, the wholesale price of garlic varies between Rs. 300 and Rs. 400 per kilogram in Bihar and Rajasthan and between Rs. 300 and Rs. 500 per kilogram in Uttar Pradesh.

Price hike

Security guards, CCTVs protect garlic crop

According to farmer Bharat Singh Bais, thieves have stolen the produce of several farmers amid the price hike. "I am guarding my 13 bighas of land on which I have sown garlic with our licensed firearm. The crop will ripen in 15 days," he added. In Mangrola village, security guards and farmers with guns pacing fields have become a common sight. Several well-off cultivators have installed CCTVs. Many farmers said that they have never seen garlic prices reach such levels.

Twitter Post

Watch: Farmers patrol their land to protect crops

#WATCH | In the wake of surging prices of garlic in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, farmers have now come up with innovative measures to protect the produce by installing CCTV cameras in their fields. pic.twitter.com/CwaJbEPsh3

— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2024

In MP

Mandsaur: Garlic being sold at Rs. 1,000/kg in retail market

In Mandsaur district and nearby areas, the wholesale price of garlic ranges from Rs. 300-500 per kilogram, while it nears Rs. 1,000 per kilogram in the retail market. An estimated 30,000 farmers cultivate 91,000 tons of garlic in Mandsaur. Garlic is also grown in Ratlam, Chhindwara, Agar Malwa, Indore, Dewas, and Shajapur districts. Garlic from Mandsaur is supplied to various states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana, where it is sold at higher prices.