Farmers in Agra hit as lockdown disrupts supply chain

AGRA: Farmers across

Agra district

are staring at huge losses as the lockdown has disrupted the supply chain. With no way to sell, most farmers have now left fruits and vegetables to rot in the fields.

Farmer association leaders claimed that hundreds of quintals of Phalsa (a species of Grewia), Ridge Gourd, Pumpkin, Capsicum, Gourd, Cucumber, Green chillies, Jackfruit, Blackberry, Sugarcane among others are getting wasted in fields.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former union cabinet minister,

Ramji Lal Suman

who visited several villages under the Etmadpur sub-division on Tuesday, said, “Lockdown has affected the small farmers most. So far, the state government has been able to take cognizance of them. CM Yogi Adityanath should order physical inspection for assessment of losses incurred to the fruit and vegetable growers. Farmers need to be compensated otherwise they would be forced to commit suicide due to financial crisis.”

There are 2.69 lakh registered farmers in Agra district. According to the horticulture department records, fruits and vegetables are cultivated on 35,000 hectare of land.

Since last two months, local vegetable markets, hotels and restaurants are not operating due to lockdown. Besides, wedding and other functions are also not taking place. Farmers also claimed that they are facing problem in transporting their produce to the major cities.

Mohan Singh Chahar

, regional president of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, said, “Farmers are among the worst hit by the lockdown. They are not being able to retain their investments in production of fruits and vegetables. Supply chain is badly affected and hundreds of quintals of produce is rotting in fields. The situation is not much different in other districts of UP. State government must take cognizance of the situation and make required arrangements to ensure farmers get some relief”.

Jitendra Singh, a Phalsa grower from Ittora village in Agra, said, “Due to lockdown we are not able to transport the fruit to Azadpur fruit market in New Delhi. Besides, the farmers are not able to sell their produce to the local traders. Due to lockdown, a major part of the fruit crop is decaying in the fields.”

Farmer leader Somveer Yadav said, “Besides fruits and vegetables, milk producers are also in trouble. Local authorities are not allowing supply of milk in the city areas. In rural areas, the price of milk has reduced over 50 percent. Wheareas, the cost of fodder for cattle and other expenses remain the same.”

Meanwhile, district magistrate Prabhu N Singh chaired a meeting with farmer leaders on Tuesday afternoon. Farmer leader Shyam Singh Chahar handed over a memorandum addressed to CM Yogi Adityanath highlighting problems being faced by the farmers due to lockdown. DM assured of time bound action on the issues raised by the farmers.


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