Kotagiri carrot prices fall; growers leave unsold produce for cattle feed

Carrot growers in and around Kotagiri say a sharp fall in procurement prices has made even transporting harvested produce to market uneconomic.

Kotagiri | 22 October 2026

Carrot growers in Kotagiri and nearby hill villages of the Nilgiris are facing a steep price decline. Reports published by Dinamani and Maalaimalar on 20–21 October said some farmers had left unsold carrots by the roadside for use as cattle feed.

• The reports cite excess arrivals, quality differences and transport costs as factors affecting returns.
• Farmers said the cost of seed, fertiliser, labour, irrigation and transport had risen.
• They asked the government to help secure a fair procurement price for Nilgiris carrots.

Why do the quoted prices differ?

Dinamani reported ₹12–₹22 a kilogram in plains vegetable markets, while Maalaimalar reported ₹15–₹25 depending on grade. Prices can vary by market, quality and sales channel, so MyNilgiris is not presenting either range as a single district-wide price.

Verification note

Two independent Tamil news organisations reported both the price decline and the use of some harvested carrots as cattle feed. No Nilgiris district administration notice about this specific episode was located.

Image note: AI-generated representative image created with OpenAI. It is not a photograph of the specific reported event in Kotagiri. Image: OpenAI / MyNilgiris.