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April 9th,2020

 

 

Topic:- Farmers Challenges in Lockdown

 

 

What is the news?

 

  • As harvesting nears, farmers lose sleep over defunct equipment.

  • Ahead of the harvesting season, farmers are a worried lot.

 

Reason:-

  • They cannot get their farm equipment and machinery repaired owing to the lockdown. Most of the repair shops are shut due to the curfew. Besides, no new implements and machinery can be bought.

 

Government support:-

 

  • All arrangements concerning the harvesting and procurement had been made, farmers are perturbed as to how they could start operations if their combine harvesters and tractors are not in working condition.
  • Even as administration has issued curfew passes to owners of combine harvesters and other farm machinery, it would be of no use in case repair shops are not allowed to open.
  • While some farmers are managing things by getting repair work done secretly, others are left no option but to delay the harvesting.

 

Farmers views:-

  • Even if you manage to get convince mechanics to repair the farm machinery, they cite unavailability of spare parts. Besides, nakas by villagers to seal their areas have further aggravated our problems.

 

Exemption order:-

  • Nakodar: Keeping in view the upcoming harvesting season, the Union Home Ministry has exempted agricultural machinery shops and repair shops from the lockdown and curfew. Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home), in an official communication to all administrative secretaries and Deputy Commissioners, said consolidated guidelines of home affairs had been reviewed by the Union Government and it had exempted certain areas from lockdown restrictions.
(Source:- The Tribune)

 

 

Topic:- Agriculture Challenges

 

 

What is the news?

 

  • No govt support, mustard growers struggle to get MSP.

 

Context:-

  • Mustard growers of Fazilka district are facing financial losses as the government has not been procuring their produce at the minimum support price (MSP) announced by the Centre due to the alleged lack of coordination between the state and Union Government

 

Challenges:-

 

  • The farmers are compelled to sell their produce for less than Rs 1,000 per quintal to private traders.
  • MSP of mustard had been fixed by the Centre at Rs 4,450 per quintal while it was being purchased by private traders at Rs 3,400 per quintal, causing a loss of more than Rs 1,000 per quintal to farmers.

 

Viswajeet Khanna, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Food Processing, Punjab:-
  • No Central agency was operating in Punjab to buy the mustard crop. However, he shall take up the issue with the Centre soon.
(Source:-The Tribune)