The area under turmeric cultivation has increased in Erode district
| Photo Credit: M. Govarthan
Stable prices for turmeric, also known as the golden spice, have encouraged farmers to expand cultivation, leading to a significant increase in the area under the crop in the district over the past two years.
Known for its high curcumin content ranging from 2.5% to 3.9%, the Erode turmeric, which has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is a major crop cultivated in the ayacut areas irrigated by the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, Kalingarayan canal, and Arakkankottai-Thadapalli canals. The 10-month crop is sown in June-July and harvested in February-March. After processing, turmeric is brought to the regulated and agricultural producersā cooperative markets in Erode, Perundurai, and Gobichettipalayam.
At the markets, turmeric fingerĀ are traded between ā¹8,300 and ā¹14,000 a quintal, while turmeric bulbĀ fetch between ā¹8,100 and ā¹13,100 a quintal. Prices that hovered between ā¹15,000 and ā¹16,000 a decade ago had dropped sharply to ā¹5,000-ā¹7,000, forcing many farmers to shift to other crops. However, post COVID-19, domestic and international demand for turmeric increased, leading to better price realisation.
On March 13, 2024, turmeric prices touched a record high of ā¹21,369 a quintal. Prices later declined due to an increase in the area under cultivation across the country and factors such as low yield, poor quality, and incessant rains. āPrices have stabilised above ā¹13,000 a quintal over the past two years,ā said Karuppasamy, a farmer from Modakkurichi, adding that steady prices and strong demand have encouraged more farmers to take up turmeric cultivation, especially in Kodumudi and Modakkurichi taluks.
Deputy Director of Horticulture M. Guru Saraswathi said the area under turmeric cultivation has risen as farmers were able to earn good profits. The area under cultivation (in acres) stood at: 2020-21 ā 10,522; 2021-22 ā 11,880; 2022-23 ā 11,599; 2023-24 ā 9,190; 2024-25 ā 11,406; and 2025-26 ā 11,860, she added.
Farmers have, however, sought improvements in rhizome quality and post-harvest processing methods, as these factors directly affect the final quality and market value of turmeric products. On Wednesday, at the Erode Regulated Market, turmeric was traded at ā¹9,299-ā¹14,114 a quintal for finger and ā¹8,099-ā¹13,199 a quintal for bulb.
Published ā October 29, 2025 05:34 pm IST
