Bhadrak: Even as agriculture sector contributes a major share to the district’s economy, farmers of Bhadrak district gradually turn away their faces from this prime occupation. More so, the paddy farmers of this district have become apathetic to farming, a report said.
According to sources, natural calamities occurring time and again in the region have compelled the farmers to shun farming activities. Disasters like draught conditions, incessant rain and untimely formation of low-pressure trouble them every year.
It is worthy to note here that natural disasters have become a common episode as Bhadrak district is located along the coastline. In totality, paddy was cultivated in 1,20,000 hectares in the district and Bulbul impacted 61,000 hectares, a primary assessment report said.
The volume of crop loss caused by very severe cyclonic storm Bulbul amounted to 50 per cent of farmlands. In such a situation, this natural disaster has left the fiscal standing of farmers to stumble.
Over past several years, the farmers have been affected by Phailin, Titli, Hudhud, Fani, Bulbul and many others. Those farmers who take loans from banks or private money lenders are left nowhere.
On the other hand, departmental officials show an indifferent attitude towards farmers. Farmers pay the crop insurance premium at times, as agriculture department insists them to do so.
However, at the time of natural calamities, insurance companies exploit farmers on the pretext of rules and regulations. After the production of paddy, they are compelled to resort to distress sale of their produce in the absence of adequate marketing facilities.
Illegal nexus of millers and unscrupulous departmental officials, faulty paddy procurement policies of the state government, lack of availability of farming inputs like, pesticides, seeds, fertilizers and manures further aggravate the woes of farmers here.
Furthermore, ‘katni chhatni’ in mandis, standards set for fair average quality of crops, registration of fake farmers, millers not returning back jute sacks to farmers, non-payment of dues against purchased crops are major bottlenecks for paddy farming.