Lack of agricultural markets worries rice growers

Lack of agricultural markets worries rice growers
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

RS Pura, July 17
Rice growers of the Jammu region are a worried lot these days. Though they are expecting a bumper crop this season, they apprehend that there will be no buyers for their crop as there is no agriculture marketing system in the state.

For the first time this year, the Agriculture Department had provided hybrid seeds to the farmers and they were expecting a bumper produce.

The sowing season is almost over and the farmers are concerned that they will have to sell their produce directly to mill owners or to the agents, who can deprive them of profit.

“We fear that our produce will not get the genuine price as there is no agriculture marketing system in the state and the state government does not lift the produce. If there is a bumper crop, the mill owners or agents will decrease the price and it will cause us a loss,” Balbir Singh of Dablehar village said, adding: “Before selling hybrid seeds to the farmers, the Agriculture Department should think of solutions to the problems arising due to lack of permanent markets in the state.”

“The Agriculture Minister and the Chief Minister talk about promoting the agriculture sector, but in reality, the things are not good. There is a lot of work to be done to uplift the agriculture sector and facilitate the farmers,” Gurmeet Singh, another farmer at Kullian village, said.

Tejinder Singh, president of the Progressive Farmers Association, stated: “Agriculture markets are the need of the hour and the state government should take immediate steps so that by the time the crop is ready, there is a well-planned agriculture marketing system.”

Repeated attempts to contact Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir failed.

Courtesy: The Tribune