Bhimashankar Temple Closure Leaves Tribal Strawberry Farmers in Crisis
For hundreds of tribal farmers residing in the forested hills surrounding the revered Bhimashankar temple in Pune's Ambegaon tehsil, this harvest season was anticipated to be a transformative milestone. Instead, the unexpected shutdown of the famous Jyotirlinga shrine for extensive restoration work has plunged them into a desperate struggle to market their highly perishable strawberry crop—a venture undertaken for the first time with borrowed capital and soaring aspirations.
From Hope to Despair: A Marketing Strategy Unraveled
Janabai Ugale, a farmer from Jambhori village located approximately 150 kilometers from Pune, transitioned to strawberry cultivation after observing neighboring growers achieve consistent profits in recent years. Like most agriculturalists in this remote region, her entire marketing plan depended exclusively on the continuous influx of pilgrims visiting Bhimashankar throughout the year.
"Our complete planning was anchored on the temple crowd. Devotees arrive in thousands, and we sell our produce directly near the temple premises. We never ventured to distant markets," Janabai explained. "But the temple is closed and will reopen only after two or three months. By that time, the strawberry season will have concluded."
At least twenty tribal villages situated on the steep hills and foothills encircling the temple are confronting identical distress. With no organized local marketplace and readily accessible cold storage infrastructure, farmers are now compelled to transport their delicate strawberries nearly 60 kilometers to Manchar, the nearest significant agricultural market.
"For a fragile crop like strawberry, transportation itself poses a substantial risk. The expenses for fuel, labor, and spoilage during transit completely erase our profit margins," Janabai emphasized.
A Promising Initiative Meets Geographical Challenges
Over the past three years, the Ambegaon tehsil agriculture office has vigorously promoted strawberry cultivation in these villages, highlighting favorable climatic conditions, cool temperatures, and soil properties resembling Mahabaleshwar in Satara district—India's most renowned strawberry-producing region. This initiative sought to establish a sustainable income stream for tribal communities inhabiting ecologically sensitive and geographically isolated landscapes.
Farmers acknowledge that the shift involved considerable investment. Although cultivated areas are modest, often limited to table-top patches carved from hill slopes, expenditures on saplings, mulching sheets, irrigation systems, and labor are significant.
"We might be farming on small land parcels, but the capital investment is substantial. If the crop fails to sell at appropriate prices, the losses can be devastating," stated Akash Morale, another farmer from the area.
The very geography that renders the region ideal for strawberry cultivation has also become its primary impediment. Farms are dispersed across narrow hilltops and slopes, connected by winding roads that make frequent transport both costly and impractical. Consequently, most farmers intended to sell their produce locally, adjacent to their fields.
Temple Renovation Triggers Market Disruption
This year, however, the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple has been closed for public darshan for approximately three months, commencing in January, to facilitate extensive renovation, construction, and safety-related development work ahead of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela. Following this closure, private traders have intervened for the strawberry farmers, but the growers allege they are being coerced into selling at distress prices.
"Traders are offering Rs80-100 per kilogram—the identical strawberries command Rs150-250 in larger markets," Morale reported. "They are exploiting our predicament."
Agriculture officials recognize the challenge but contend that market disruptions were unforeseen. District agriculture officer Sanjay Kachole remarked, "We have been promoting this farming model in the region to create an alternative and concrete income source for locals. In the previous two years, they earned decent returns, prompting many to adopt it this year. Nevertheless, due to the abrupt temple closure, the planning collapsed. We are endeavoring to identify solutions to address this concern."
Highlighting Vulnerability and Seeking Solutions
Farmers argue that this crisis underscores the fragility of monocrop strategies in remote tribal areas lacking assured market connections. "If this year culminates in losses, numerous among us will hesitate to cultivate strawberries again," said farmer Vijay Module from Taleghar village. "For tribal families, a single failed season can set us back by years."
As ripe strawberries adorn the hilltops overlooking Bhimashankar's dense forests, farmers await anxious intervention through temporary market support, transport subsidies, or institutional procurement, hoping their inaugural experiment with high-value agriculture does not conclude in disillusionment.
Intervention Through Tribal Development Initiatives
Meanwhile, the Ghodegaon-based tribal development project office has resolved to procure strawberries from these farmers at a fixed rate and distribute them to students enrolled in their fourteen tribal schools across the region. "This will assist local farmers in recouping losses and also provide quality fruit to students at these schools. It is a dual benefit. Approximately 5,000 children study in these institutions. Some schools have already commenced receiving sample consignments from local farmers," stated Sandeep Patil, assistant project director of the tribal department.
This procurement initiative offers a glimmer of hope, yet the broader predicament persists, emphasizing the critical need for resilient agricultural frameworks and market linkages in India's tribal hinterlands.
