Lack of food processing units major concern among Punjab farmers

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, June 14

Lack of enough food processing units is one of the major concerns for vegetable growers.

Growers say that they never know what will happen with their produce at the time of harvest. “We do not have anything to rely upon. There should be some mechanism, but there are no policies for us,” farmers rue.

Farmer Gajjan Singh from Swal village had to plow his standing cauliflower crop on one acre in February this year because of the low price. He says if there are enough processing plants, they will grow more vegetables.

Govt support needed

Vegetables come from other states too. A consumer will always prefer fresh vegetables, so keeping the produce in cold stores is not an option. If the government can open some processing units, it will be helpful. Tarjeet Singh, Afile farmer

Capsicum grower Manjit Singh from Boolpur village said the government doesn’t do anything to help the farmers. “This year, capsicum growers suffered great losses due to overproduction. The vegetable was being sold at Rs 2-3 per kg,” he said, adding that had there been processing units to help farmers, no crop would have been ruined.

Motipur Khalsa village farmer Tarjeet Singh said there was a glut-like situation of almost every vegetable these days. “Vegetables come from other states too. A consumer will always prefer fresh vegetables, so keeping the produce in cold stores is not an option. If the government can open some processing units, it will be helpful,” he said.

Sukhdip Hundal, Deputy Director of Horticulture from Kapurthala, said food processing units would prove to be a boon for the farmers. There are two private food processing units in Kapurthala, he says.