BENGALURU: As the state gears up for the second round of lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the farm sector that is in dire straits, is seeking help from the government.According to experts, mere relaxation in terms of allowing agricultural activities or transportation of farm produce is not sufficient to rescue farmers from the crisis that has the potential to impact farming activities in the long run.
The BS Yediyurappa government is waiting for guidelines from the central government to work out modalities for enforcing lockdown. However, it has already made it clear that the lockdown will not hinder farm activities in the state.“There is a need for concrete measures to boost the farm sector. Only giving some relaxations in terms of movement of agricultural produce will not be sufficient,” said Dr TN Prakash Kammardi, former chairman, Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission.
Despite an assurance by the government, morale among the farming community is very low. Unable to find a market for their produce, they are destroying it.“Farmers are facing a major crisis. They took loans and invested in crops, but now, at the time of harvesting, there is no market for produce. If they don’t get money now, they will not be able to take up agricultural activities in subsequent seasons,” said Prof MB Raje Gowda, former registrar and professor, department of agrometeorology at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. “The current crisis can have a long-term impact on farmers and the agricultural sector.”
According to Kammardi, to bail them out of the current crisis, farmers must be compensated for loss of their produce, and financial institutions must extend loans to them on pledging their produce under a warehouse-based receipt scheme. “In times of crisis like this, the government alone will not be able to do everything, and must involve financial institutions and various government and non-government agencies to help farmers,” he said.He also stressed the need for a special package in terms of quantifiable money, and a clear blueprint to boost the sector. “Farmers are demoralised and steps must be taken at the earliest to help them,” he added.
Concurring with Kammardi’s views on the need to bail out farmers urgently, Prof Gowda said the government must procure produce at nominal prices so that farmers can be saved. Farmers are desperately in need of money now. They also need money to prepare their fields for the next season.
After summer rain in May, farmers start preparing their lands and once the South West monsoon hits the state, major agricultural activities start. “For that, farmers need to sell their produce now and have money to buy seeds, fertilizers and also pay labourers. It is time the government takes note of their situation and helps them,” he added.While the government maintains that there is adequate seeds and fertilizers, and that directions have been issued to officials to help farmers in distress, experts call for concrete measures, not mere announcements.