With the Centre allowing the export of basmati,rice shellers are eagerly waiting for different varieties while a few early birds are making good profits as compared to last year,when there were huge losses. Pawan Kumar,a sheller based in Ferozepur said: Farmers in this belt sow sharbati variety of basmati which sold for Rs 1,200-Rs 1,300 per quintal,while this year the starting price is in the range of Rs 1,300-Rs 1,600 per quintal. Another basmati variety that caused losses last year,Sugandha,has a starting price of Rs 1,400 per quintal with private companies even ready to pay up to Rs 1,700 per quintal. Ironically,the most unwanted variety last year,Basmati 112,has been fetching the best prices. Looking at the response last year,farmers had sown limited stock of the variety this year. Those who took the risk,however,are reaping the profits as the first stock,that trickled into the Amritsar mandis a few days back,has been sold off in the range Rs 2,200 - Rs 2,300 per quintal. Only a few varieties have been coming into the mandis but the prices have left farmers in an upbeat mood. Darshan Koohli,general secretary of Bharti Kisan Union,said: Two years back,the prices were not less than Rs 2,500 per quintal for most varieties,but last year we suffered huge losses. However if we look at last year,still our profits have improved a lot. The government has also waived off the condition of bank guarantee which was to be deposited by the shellers at the time of purchase and even have indicated that they can sell the whole stock in the market at their own prices.
