Farmers Movement Archive

Crop loss due to rain

The shortage of labour and the difficulty in procuring jute bags from West Bengal, where the mills are shut, has made the government co-opt the middlemen and there have been complaints that only the big landholders or registered farmers are being called first to mandis, implying a misuse of the token system. Strict monitoring will ensure it does not happen. Usually, girdawari is ordered when crops are destroyed due to natural factors. This time, the government suggested a bonus over and above the MSP for the crop that is lifted after May 1 to compensate for staggering the marketing. This is expected to help the farmers facing the problem of higher crop moisture content. Government agencies normally dither on this count, making the farmers sell their produce to other buyers, increasing chances of being short-changed. Because of the restrictions, procurement is expected to continue longer and care will have to be taken to wind up the process before the monsoon arrives.As the states mull ways to exit the lockdown, effective procurement will also mean putting money into the pockets of farmers so that shops in towns and cities can look up on the strength of the rural bounty that has truly helped the country negotiate the rigour.

The Tribune

2020-04-28