The present day farmer looks for information particularly regarding price behaviour of the crop before sowing.
Researchers at the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC), functioning at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, analyse the price behaviour across different markets in the State and share it with the farmers to facilitate their decision on planting.
With the winter cropping season (
The area under Chana (Chickpea or Bengalgram) was 0.06 lakh hectares in 2008-09 and its production and productivity were 0.04 lakh tonnes and 637 kg/hec.
The major chickpea producing districts include Coimbatore, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dharmapuri and Trichy, accounting for 96 per cent of the State's total production.
DEMIC analysts confirmed that the price of Bengal gram be around Rs 3,200-3,500 a quintal during February-March 2012 and advised farmers to take up chickpea sowing.
Coriander seed or dhania is a Rabi crop. Sowing starts around mid-October and extends till end-November. Due to unfavourable weather, the area under coriander is reported to have slipped in 2009-10 compared to the earlier year (from 3.97 lakh hec to 3.60 lakh hec) – all India.
DEMIC analysts expect the price of coriander seed to be around Rs 3,100-3,300 a quintal at harvest (February-April 2012).
The price of Cumbu, a widely grown millet, raised in 0.56 lakh hectares in the State in 2008-09, is expected to range between Rs 800 and Rs 850 a quintal at harvest (February-March).
Tuticorin district is said to have topped in production (at 22,994 tonnes) followed by Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Virudhunagar, Theni and Dindigul districts.