Madhya Pradesh Farmers Deploy Innovative Security Measures Amid Fears Of Garlic Theft

Garlic prices have surged nationwide, causing concern not only among buyers but also farmers. The sharp rise in prices has raised concerns among farmers, who fear an uptick in theft and are now taking steps to secure their fields. A recent alarming incident in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, highlighted the severity of the situation.

Garlic prices have hit an all-time high, reaching between Rs 400 to Rs 500 per kilogram. To safeguard their high-investment crops from theft, farmers have resorted to innovative methods.

Rahul Deshmukh, a garlic farmer who put Rs 25 lakh into cultivating garlic on 13 acres of land, has earned a substantial profit of nearly Rs 1 crore by selling his garlic in the market.

In an interview with ANI on Sunday, Rahul Deshmukh disclosed that he had planted garlic on 13 acres of land, investing Rs 25 lakh in total. He mentioned that he has already sold garlic crops amounting to Rs 1 crore and there are more crops awaiting harvest.

He also stressed the importance of the cost-effectiveness of solar-powered cameras in safeguarding his crops.

Rahul Deshmukh explained his security plans, saying, “Using solar energy and setting up mobile CCTV cameras are important steps to protect my crops. I’ve placed three cameras strategically to watch over the four acres of garlic fields.”

Meanwhile, another garlic cultivator in Badnoor, Pawan Chaudhary, disclosed that they invested Rs 4 lakh in their 4-acre garlic crop and earned a profit of Rs 6 lakh.

He explained, “To keep an eye on my field, I set up three CCTV cameras. Two of them belong to me, while one is rented. I had to take this step because garlic was being stolen from my fields.”

Farmers have noted that while garlic usually sells for around Rs 80 per kilogram each year, this season has seen a significant jump, with prices going over Rs 300 per kilogram. As a result, they saw significant profits. The price of garlic has never been this high before.

Gajanand Deshmukh, in charge of field camera installations, addresses increased worry amid rising prices. Responding to a concerned farmer’s request, Deshmukh’s team installs CCTV cameras. Remote worker monitoring is deemed beneficial. This encourages other farmers to install CCTV systems, with three to four additional installations reported.