Covid cuts vegetable growers into pieces

Bengaluru, 02 May 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: The long-drawn Covid crisis has taken its toll on the farmers in Belagavi region who are growing vegetables in abundance. The transportation of the massive amount of vegetables from Belagavi to Goa and west-Maharashtra on a regular basis has come to a grinding halt owing to the lockdown like restrictions in both the states.

A wide range of vegetables are being brought to APMC yard in the city and other markets by farmers from various parts of the district, but there have been no takers as expected due to the restrictions imposed by the government as part of the 14-day lockdown till May 12.

Although facilities have been provided at APMC yard to the farmers to market their produce between 6 am and 10 am everyday, the restrictions on timings is hindering the transactions. Several small-time buyers are dealing with the farmers produce but hardly any wholesalers are buying the vegetables due to various reasons in the available four hours timings in the morning, regretted farmer Anil Patil.

The farmers are a worried lot as a large quantity of vegetables remains unsold in the APMC market. According to farmers, the prices of most of their vegetables have drastically fallen due to the falling demand for them. Vegetables like ladies finger, cauliflower, capsicum, potato, tomato, beans, carrot, cucumber, etc., are being produced in large quantities in several parts of Belagavi.

Farmer Shivangouda Patil said, the lockdown has put the lives of farmers in a crisis as they are unable to effectively market their produce for the past one year. “We all suffered a lot due to the lockdown last year that prevented farmers from doing a good business. The situation has repeated in the Covid second wave now,’’ he added.

Procure veggies, fruits: Farmer leader to govt
Mysuru: With the lockdown and it’s restrictions dealing a deadly blow on farmers’ earning, Karnataka State Sugarcane Farmers Association president Kurubur Shantakumar said the government should step in to procure vegetables and other yields on a fixed price directly from farmers and distribute it to the public. Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, Shanthakumar said farmers are forced to leave their produce in the fields due to low prices and added that an MSP should be announced for vegetables and fruits as well. “If they can’t do this, better they should include farming also in lockdown,” he said.