Farmers begin preparations for sowing but worries persist

Farmers have begun preparations for kharif sowing. However, they’re uncertain of the impact of lockdown.

Nearly three-fourths of the ten lakh hectares of land can be coated within the kharif season.

Most farmers are ploughing their fields. They hope to obtain pre-monsoon showers in order that they’ll begin sowing.

However, they’re confronted with a number of challenges.

Vithal Madhav Rao Patil, who’s a vegetable grower, mentioned that the prolonged lockdown has lowered transportation of greens and fruits to Goa from Belagavi. “We have suffered huge losses as vegetables are perishable and should be utilised in a day or two. We don’t know if the government will open the markets or resort to lockdown once again, in the name of the third wave, if any,” he mentioned.

Devendrappa Angolkar is working in his sugarcane farm in Bagewadi. His brother, who was working in Belagavi, has come again to work with him within the fields. Angolkar anticipates that the sugar factories might not pay him in time.

“The factories have retained enormous arrears of the final 4 years. As their transactions have been affected, they’re in no place to pay arrears. What we suspect is whether or not they are going to pay us for our sugarcane this crushing season,’’ he mentioned.

Krishik Samaj president Sidagouda Modagi mentioned that 25 sugar factories owe round ₹150 crore to farmers in Belagavi district. “This is round 30% of all of the arrears owed by the 80 functioning factories within the State. Successive governments have did not power the factories clear their arrears,’’ he mentioned.

Shivanagouda Patil, a foodgrains dealer, mentioned that the unfavourable impression of the lockdown will take years to abate. “We have the extra problem of the weakening of the APMCs. If there isn’t any decentralised, clear shopping for, merchants are more likely to type cartels and cheat farmers,’’ he mentioned.

He mentioned that the federal government ought to introduce the weekly shandis and village markets, together with strengthening the APMCs, in order that farmers get truthful worth for their produce.

“The authorities is but to launch flood loss reduction to farmers who misplaced homes in 2019 and 2020. Even now, they’ve a imprecise fear of their thoughts about doable floods on this monsoon,’’ mentioned a farmers chief Choonappa Pujari.