₹100/kg: Thieves target ready-to-harvest coriander crop in Dhar village

Times News NetworkDhar: Farmers in the villages of Kukshi tehsil of Dhar district are literally spending sleepless nights in their fields, guarding their ready-to-harvest crop of green coriander.The reason: In Ledgaon village, some miscreants late on Thursday night sneaked into fields of some farmers and made away with the entire standing crop of lush green coriander. The matter came to fore after farmers found their coriander plants completely missing from the field ---- the thieves had not plucked just the leaves but had uprooted whole plants, leaving the field completely empty.The farmers approached the police to register their complaint on Friday evening.Amjhera police station in-charge Raju Makwana told TOI that they have received the complaint and said that the village where the theft incident occurred falls under Dasai police outpost. “Investigation was going on in the case, following which the complaint would be registered. Farmers claimed that they had lost coriander crop worth Rs 50,000 sown on the field,” he said.The surge in coriander prices, driven by strong demand from neighbouring states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, has made the crop a lucrative target. Market rates have climbed to around ₹100 per kilogram, tempting criminals who previously focused on jewellery and two-wheelers, to shift focus to this agriculture produce.

A prominent farmer of the village, Ramkaran Patidar, told TOI over phone that the incident has spread fear among the farmers. “All those who had left their fields with ready-to-harvest crop, are now vigilant. Many of them are spending nights in the fields to guard their produce,” he said.