-Newsclick.in “Since many farmers are afraid to reach the regular markets, the local vendors are taking advantage of it. They are then selling the vegetables at a higher cost to the customers,” said Subramani, a farmer. With no announcement regarding any relief measures, the farmers across the state are staring at an imminent setback. The lack of transportation facilities, labourers and unwarranted police action continue to hamper the farming sector during the...
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Over 1.4 Lakh Labourers Toil in Maharashtra Sugar Mills Without Safety Measures -Varsha Torgalkar
-Newsclick.in As harvest is on, labourers want to return to their villages since they are scared of being exposed to COVID-19 as mill owners have not provided them any facility, like water, food, shelter or sanitisers. Pune: Sanjay Aladar, 37, who is currently harvesting sugarcane at Palus village in Maharashtra, stays at the farm and shares a common toilet and washroom with other labourers. Scared of transmission of COVID-19 that is spreading...
More »India lockdown: There’s enough food, but India is struggling to get it to people
-The Indian Express As far as the availability of food is concerned, the country has more than adequate stock. Also, thanks to a surplus monsoon, a bumper rabi crop is on its way. With markets shut, Farm labourers absent from fields, and transportation services at a halt, is India likely to face a food crisis because of the coronavirus-induced lockdown? Possible, if steps are not taken in some key areas. As far as the...
More »Gujarat: Rushed back to village, but don’t know what we will do here, say migrant labourers -Aishwarya Mohanty
-The Indian Express With small land-holdings, hilly terrains, water scarcity and parched lands, farming is neither profitable nor a dependable source of income in many villages. Dahod: The ardous journey is not just what migrant labourers, who are returning in thousands from cities to their villages amid an unprecedented nation wide lockdown in view of the coronavirus pandemic, are facing. Deeper economic uncertainties stare at many of them back in their villages. Sukhlal...
More »It’s time to end monopoly of APMCs; food majors should be encouraged to procure directly -Rajalakshmi Nirmal
-The Hindu Business Line If mandi boards surpass the agent network and support trade, farmers will stand to benefit immensely This could be the right time for the Centre to nudge States to make their Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) play a more active role in primary market trade. If the private sector engages in direct procurement from farmers now, the crowding in mandis can be checked effectively. This is imperative in maintaining...
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