Farmers in Delhi and the neighbouring States are at their wits’ end as the lockdown and labour shortage have made it difficult for them to start harvesting the Rabi crop. Exemption for agricultural operation by the State Governments has come to their rescue in this situation.
Farmers in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh said their crops are ripe to be harvested but there is shortage of labourers, harvesting machines and even there are no adathis (middlemen) in Anaj Mandi. The lockdown also led to an unprecedented exodus of workers from their places of work, to their homes in far-flung villages across the country.
The Pioneer visited villages in Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh and bordering villages of Delhi, where farmers rued that the shortage of labour and the lockdown has crippled the wholesale market.
Some farmers harvested wheat in March, but most of them harvest their crops by mid-April to May first week.
Pushpender Chaudhary, the president of Kisan Shakti Sangh said despite good Rabi crop, farmers have been left in the lurch as they are facing issues while delivering harvested fruits, vegetables, milk and other food products due to lack of transportation.
“Somehow if they manage to send the produce in the market, they have to face blockades at several points which had also led to steep rise in agriculture products across the states despite being availability of products. The Government should initiate some steps to allow free passage to farmers so that they can send their products without hassle,” said Chaudhary.
“Labourers who used to harvest our fields have now returned to their homes. Who are staying back are ready to work but now issue is that man power is less and there are no tools and equipment to harvest crops available in market,” said Ravi Khatri, a villager in Haryana’s Ismaila village near Rohtak .
“If somehow both machines and laboruers manage to harvest the crop, there will be no takers as grain markets are closed. Despite being in essential services farmers have also developed fear of coronavirus and they are also avoiding going out. Same issue is with the laboruers. We are left with no other option as crop has ripened and has started to fall in fields, which is a loss to farmer,” Khatri added.
Kishan Singh of Bawana village was ruing the lockdown as he haplessly sits at his home but can’t go to his field where wheat is ready to be harvested. There are hundreds of others like him who are faced with bleak times ahead and are praying for the lockdown to be lifted by the Government.
The agriculture contributes some 16 per cent to the country’s GDP. India is one of the world’s largest producers of crops like rice, wheat, sugarcane, cotton, vegetables and milk. Now there are concerns that stopping farm activity will not only end up hurting farmers and labourers but also affect food security.
Expressing concern, Ajay Bhalla (Home Secretary, Government of India) has written to Chief Secretaries to all States on April 3, stating that however exceptions have been allowed for farming operation for farmers, farm workers, procurement of agricultural productions, operation of mandis, movement of harvesting and sowing related machineries but as per information received these exceptions have not been percolated at ground level.
It may be noted that the winter crop - wheat, rice and pulses -and fruits are harvested and sold during month of April and June. After that the fields are prepared for the sowing of summer rain-fed crop, comprising paddy, pulses, cotton and sugarcane.
