Daijiworld Media Network – Ballari / Koppal

Ballari/Koppal, Oct 12: Farmers in North Karnataka are grappling with severe financial distress as the prices of two key crops — maize (jola) and pomegranate (dalimbe) — have crashed dramatically, dashing the hopes of cultivators ahead of the festive season.

In Siruguppa taluk of Ballari district, maize growers who had invested heavily during the monsoon are now struggling to recover even their basic cultivation costs. Maize was cultivated across 2,680 hectares in the region, with an expected production of 2.34 lakh metric tonnes.

While the yield has been considered encouraging — around 30 to 35 quintals per acre — market prices have plunged to Rs 1,700–2,000 per quintal, a sharp fall from last year’s rates of Rs 2,600–2,800.

Farmers say tha

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