# Nilgiris hill farmers seek irrigation schemes as crops fail 2026-08-13T07:03:50+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Deficit southwest monsoon rains have hit hill vegetable yields in the Nilgiris, with the secretary of the Nilgiris Potato and Vegetable Growers Association reporting a 30-40% drop in output over the past two months. Carrot and beetroot prices have risen to Rs 60-75 per kg at Mettupalayam auction centres, benefiting only farmers with advanced irrigation. C.K.N. Babu, the association's secretary, appealed for special irrigation schemes tapping existing water sources, including permission to dig bore wells, to save vegetable crops. Fields relying on seasonal rainfall are suffering most, leaving ordinary farmers in dire straits. ## Coverage - deccanchronicle.com Tags: farmers' distress, hill vegetables, Irrigation, monsoon deficit, Nilgiris Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/nilgiris-hill-farmers-seek-irrigation-schemes-as-crops-fail/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/nilgiris-hill-farmers-seek-irrigation-schemes-as-crops-fail/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.