With a large number of farmers giving up traditional farming, agricultural pattern is changing fast in the State. The new pattern, which emerged due to tremendous fall in availability of manpower (labourers), resulted in shrinking agricultural area in two districts considered as sugarcane belt.
The startling fact came to the fore in a recent survey carried out among the farmers by a political party, which is eager to open its account in the State in the forthcoming general elections. Survey findings, according to the surveyors (party workers), reveal that large number of farmers stopped sowing traditional crops, including wheat, rice and sugarcane as they don’t find manpower required at the time of harvesting the crops.
The farmers, in order to avoid undue hassle caused by drastic shortage of the manpower, have taken to plantation of popular saplings in their farms. Plants’ sapling requires manpower at the time of plantation only. Therefore, it is getting popular among the peasants. Samajwadi Party Uttarakhand unit president Dr Satyanarayan Sachan, who along with some SP supporters and workers spoke to around 300 farmers in Udham Singh Nagar district, claims, sugarcane cultivation area has reduced by around 40 per cent in the district.
He defined the pattern as “deadly” which would have serious consequences in near future. “Shrinking agriculture area will have direct impact on production of food-grains as food grains production is directly connected to it. The shrinking area implies to fall in foodgrains production in near future,” he said. He pointed out similar trend catching up fast among the farmers in Haridwar district where he spoke to around 250 farmers. “Nowadays, farming is a costly affair. Farmers don’t want to take risk by continuing traditional farming, which requires huge manpower when the wheat and rice crops get ready for harvesting. Ironically, they don’t get the labourers,” Dr Sachan said.
Referring to a farmer, who quit the traditional farming last year and planted popular saplings in a huge area, Dr Sachan said, “He gave up traditional sugarcane farming, which he was in for the last several years, as he found it difficult to arrange the labourers when the cane was worth cutting.” Quoting the farmer, Dr Sachan said that shortage of labourers surfaced because none of the labourers presently wanted to work in farms as they prefer working in the MNREGS that ensures work for them. As a result, the farmers didn’t get manpower and are looking for the alternatives that comparatively require much less or little manpower.
Sachan said, “This is not the case of two districts in the state. Similar trend has been seen in other parts of the nation. If it continues, it would have far reaching consequences. Food grains production would go down tremendously. Under the circumstances, would it be possible to ensure food security.” He further added that the time has come when the governments should make policies, keeping in view interests of the farmers.