Srikakulam: The production of Mogali Puvvu, also known as the screw pine flower, has declined significantly in Srikakulam district. Therefore, farmers and traders have suffered huge financial losses. The timing of the collection of these flowers starts in June and continues till January. “Ruh” oil is extracted from these valuable flowers; its market value is more than Rs 19 lakh per litre.
Experts believe that inadequate weather conditions, such as ‘low rainfall’ and strong winds, have severely damaged the screw pine plants, which led to the low production of these flowers. The Uddanam region, considered a hub for screw pine cultivation, is on the receiving end, and flowers in this region are badly affected amid poor weather.
The flowers are being used in the perfume industry. Traders from different cities, such as Kannauj, Kanpur, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Kolkata, purchase these flowers. However, local farmers have been facing several challenges due to the lack of production of screw pine flower. As per the Burujupadu deputy sarpanch Dunna Janakiram, the plants grow amid spiny leaves and are often surrounded by snakes and wild animals, making harvesting dangerous.
Farming of screw pine has not been recognized officially by the Andhra Pradesh government as a commercial crop. Therefore, the cultivators don’t get any government support or compensation in case of loss of crops. The flower has been cultivated on more than 6,000 hectares in Srikakulam’s coastal areas.
Due to a lack of adequate weather, this year’s production is low; 30 lorries are being loaded compared to 100 the previous year. Farmers are raising their voices for the setting up of distillation units locally, which would accelerate their profit as well as create opening opportunities for the locals. The ball is now in the court of state government.
