Farmers Movement Archive

West UP’s paddy crop damaged, farmers seek compensation

MEERUT Last week’s heavy rain has caused widespread damage to paddy crop in different districts of western UP. With an estimated 15 to 20 per cent crop damaged, farmers are demanding to an immediate survey to assess the damage. Chief scientist of Basmati Export Promotion Council Dr Ritesh Sharma said that 1509 variety of Basmati were popular among farmers in Meerut, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hapur, Saharanpur, Moradabad and Bareilly region. An estimated 4 lakh hectare area is under Basmati cultivation in western UP. Sharma said that 10 to 15 per cent crop of Basmati 1509 had been damaged due to heavy rain last week. “ It was harvesting season for early variety of Basmati when the downpour hit the crop for three days,” said Singh. In addition to loss due to rain, the crop standing in the fields was now being attacked by insects, causing 5 to 7 per cent damage to the quality of grain, he said. An exporter of Basmati rice Ajay Bhalotia also expressed concern over widespread damage to the crop. “ Gujarat, Delhi and a few other states had declared compensation to paddy farmers after due survey but nothing has happened in UP so far and farmers are demanding immediate survey of the loss”, said Bhalotia who convened a meeting with a group of farmers in Jatpura village of Matt tehsil in Mathura on Friday. Bhalotia said that it was really painful to see the damage to crop and farmers needed assistance from the state government, otherwise it would be difficult for them to bear such a heavy loss. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president for NCR Mangeram Tyagi said, “ We have directed our tehsil and block level officials to meet farmers and raise their issue with the district magistrates and sub divisional magistrates to push the demand for immediate survey of damage so that compensation may be declared immediately.” BKU’s youth wing state president Digamber Singh, who belongs to Bijnor district, claimed that farmers grew paddy in a large area in the district. “Incessant rain caused heavy damage to paddy crops and unfortunately media also did not raise the plight of paddy farmers,” said Singh who also demanded immediate survey of the damage and compensation to farmers. Criticizing the PM Fasal Beema Yojana and other schemes for benefits of farmers, Singh claimed that the system had made these schemes so complex that farmers seldom received their benefits.

Hindustan Times

22-10-2021

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