The vegetable growers in the state are facing huge trouble in the state due to the imposition of curfew to limit spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
After they failed to transport their produce to mandis due to the curfew, many vegetable growers in Mansa district have started ploughing their vegetable crops with tractors in a bid to make green manure.
Punjab Kisan Union state senior vice-president Gura Singh Bhainibagha said, “Vegetable growers are facing a huge problem due to the curfew as everything is closed due to which in Bhainibagha village, some farmers have ploughed their crops in their fields.”
Similarly, Iqbal Singh Sidhu, sarpanch of Fafad Bhaika village, said, “Due to the curfew, farmers have not been able to sell vegetables in the mandi as health is first priority for everyone”.
When contacted, Mansa DC Gurpal Singh Chahal said vegetable farmers should give priority in selling it rather than ploughing it. “If they are facing any problem in selling it, then they should contact officials,” he said.
Vegetables have been grown on 2.73 lakh hectare land. Of this, potatoes have been grown on 1.05 lakh hectare. Nearly 1.80 farmers are in vegetable cultivation for commercial purpose.
Apart from this, potato growers are demanding exemption from curfew to harvest the crop. They said the crop was perishable with a relatively short shelf-life, if not stored in time. The process of harvesting needs to completed at the earliest, as the rise in temperature above 32 degrees can pose a serious threat to the crop.
This news has not been edited by Apni Kheti staff but has been published by various news feeds
Source: Tribune India