The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee accused the ruling BJP, both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, for cheating potato farmers by not fulfilling any promises to resolve the problems faced by them.
Highlighting the problems faced by potato growers, UPCC Campaign Committee chairman PL Punia said in Lucknow on Thursday that the BJP government just made promises to come to power but later they only added to the woes of the farmers including potato growers. “The BJP just cheated the farmers community in the last five years. In terms of potato production areas, UP tops in the country and the vegetable is grown in an area of about 6.1 lakh hectares in the state. But due to the policies of the Yogi government, year after year the crop kept rotting and the condition of potato growers became worse. Despite the good yield, the economic condition of farmers is bad because they are not getting good prices,” Punia added.
The Congress leader said that farmers were upset due to the non-fixation of minimum price of potatoes. "The failure of this government cane be gauged by the fact every year potatoes rot, and the farmer is forced to throw the crop on the roads for not getting remunerative price. Farmers have been suffering due to non-availability of government assistance. With no other source of livelihood and no better income from selling potatoes, farmers take loans from moneylenders to produce crops, but their hopes are shattered and they end up committing suicide," he said.
Punia further said that the BJP talks about making chips from potatoes, setting up alcohol factory and making potato powder in during elections. "But all these promises are only to mislead the potato farmers, no one asks about their condition after the elections. Promises of the BJP government have never materialised. A large section of potato growers live in many districts of Uttar Pradesh, but gradually they are leaving farming because they are not getting profit," he said. Punia further said that land was acquired for Chips Factory in Farrukhabad and Vodka Factory in Kannauj, but it remained only on papers.
“Neither the chips factory in Farrukhabad nor the Vodka factory in Kannauj could be set up. Also, the increase in diesel prices, shortage of DAP and urea, all added more pain for potato growers. The promise made by the Congress will be fulfilled after the formation of a government in the state. Cold storage and food processing will be promoted, cold storage will be arranged in every block.”
Existing facilities in the cold storage will be upgraded to store fruits and vegetables at different temperatures and for different periods of time. The Congress party has always fought on the ground on the issue of farmers, women and youth and stood by them to get justice for the exploited in Uttar Pradesh," he assured.