Crop loss due to rain

THE damage to the wheat lying in the open at various grain markets across Haryana and Punjab due to the untimely rain is a cause for concern. Agricultural activities have already been affected due to the lockdown imposed amid the coronavirus pandemic that has curtailed farm activities, reflected in the delaying of the procurement. It was the realisation that the battle against Covid-19 will be sustained by the country’s granaries that led to the easing of restrictions, allowing the movement of farm machinery and men. But as the interception of a vehicle carrying combine operators from Madhya Pradesh into Punjab shows, making a success of the endeavour has been tough because of the health risks involved. The urgency has seen a rollback in policies with the arhtiyas being involved in the process again.

The shortage of labour and the difficulty in procuring jute bags from West Bengal, where the mills are shut, has made the government co-opt the middlemen and there have been complaints that only the big landholders or registered farmers are being called first to mandis, implying a misuse of the token system. Strict monitoring will ensure it does not happen. Usually, girdawari is ordered when crops are destroyed due to natural factors. This time, the government suggested a bonus over and above the MSP for the crop that is lifted after May 1 to compensate for staggering the marketing. This is expected to help the farmers facing the problem of higher crop moisture content. Government agencies normally dither on this count, making the farmers sell their produce to other buyers, increasing chances of being short-changed. Because of the restrictions, procurement is expected to continue longer and care will have to be taken to wind up the process before the monsoon arrives.

As the states mull ways to exit the lockdown, effective procurement will also mean putting money into the pockets of farmers so that shops in towns and cities can look up on the strength of the rural bounty that has truly helped the country negotiate the rigour.

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