District Lead Bank Manager K.N. Shivalingaiah recently informed Pratap Simha, Mysuru MP, and Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha that 90 per cent of those who raised ginger crop did not avail themselves of bank loans.
“It is contract farming … the lands are taken on lease for raising the crop. So, banks don’t encourage the cultivation of ginger crop,” he said.
But, farmer leader Kurubur Shanthkumar claimed that ginger traders from Kerala enter into lease agreement with local farmers and avail themselves of loans from financial institutions in their State for the crop based on the agreement.
Some traders cultivate the crop without even taking loans, he said.