Farmers of Uttarakhand will get maximum price for their brinjal produce in the forthcoming season in September-October this year. This forecast has been made by the scientists of Agriculture Economics department of GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT) in a sub-project of World Bank-funded National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP), 'Establishing and networking of agricultural market intelligence centers in India' under operation at the university.
One of the objectives of this project is to make price forecast of selected agricultural commodities well in advance of sowing and during harvesting.
The research team of GBPUAT, Pantnagar, had conducted market survey of Haldwani regulated market, a major market for brinjal in Uttarakhand, and analysed market price data for last 23 years in this market.
The results of econometric analysis showed that the wholesale prices of brinjal in Haldwani market would be in the range of Rs 600-750 per quintal in September-October 2013, and in Novembervit would range between Rs 500 and 600 per quintal.
Hence, the scientists have advised that the farmers who wish to take brinjal cultivation in the coming season on their farms may decide the area under crop considering forecasted price of brinjal as well as other climatic conditions suitable for the crop.
During this period consumers prefer round-shaped brinjal. Therefore, the farmers may also consider this aspect while planning brinjal cultivation for the next season, advised scientists. India ranks second in area and production of brinjal and it contributes around 27 percent of the world's brinjal production. This crop is grown over six lakh hectares in India. The yield rate per hectare in India is quite low with 18 tonnes per hectare as compared to Japan and Italy where it ranges around 25 tonnes per hectare. Major brinjal growing states in the country are West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which together account for about 94 percent of India's brinjal production.
In Uttarakhand brinjal is grown in an area of 1685 hectares mainly in the plains. Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital are the four major districts producing brinjal which constitute about 60 per cent of the total brinjal production in the state during 2011.
In Uttarakhand, the peak period of round brinjal arrivals in the market is October to November even though it starts arriving in market in August and lasts up to January.