Sweet potato crops damaged in rain

The rotten sweet potatos in Matnalli.

A sweet potato grower has incurred huge losses following the rainfall in Somwarpet.

Darshan D K had cultivated sweet potato on one and a half acre land in Matnalli.

Following the lockdown, no one came forward to purchase it.

The middlemen were seeking to purchase sweet potato for Rs 5 to Rs 6 per kg. But, after a flood, all the sweet potatoes have been damaged, said Darshan.

“I had spent thousands of rupees to cultivate sweet potato. Now, the government should pay me compensation for the loss,” he said.

Farmer Gautham from Kiragandoor said, “Owing to the middlemen menace and the negligence by the officials, many are moving away from farming. The government should provide better marketing facilities for the farm produce.”