Farmers expose loopholes in State agriculture policy | West Garo Hills

EXPLORING POTENTIAL OF ORGANIC FARMING

A REPORTER

SHILLONG: The Hill Farmers' Union (HFU) from West Garo Hills district has submitted a charter of demands to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong. The charter highlights the potential of organic farming in the State and also the hardships being faced by farmers in the region.

In the memorandum, HFU West Garo Hills district general secretary LK Sangma said that the fertile soil of the Garo Hills is ideal for the natural growth of farm produces, ie., without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

"Farmers in Garo Hills need the organic certificate from the Central government in order to justify their products and also promote their livelihood in the marketing sector," he said.

Demanding special incentives for the setting up of a warehouse and cashew processing unit in Garo Hills, he highlighted the high quality of cashew nuts grown in Garo Hills. "Cashew from Garo Hills are in high demand and can be exported to other countries.

"But the farmers are not keen on maintaining their farms due to the inaccessibility of markets. It is the middlemen who exploit these farmers by buying the fruit at low price but selling the stocks at high price while sending the casew nuts to other States," the HFU leader said.

The HFU also demanded the launching of the 'Potato and Onion Mission' in the Garo Hills. "It is the failure of the government that the people of Garo Hills need vegetables from outside. It is also because of the failure of the Agriculture Department to impart awareness about the importance of local organic vegetables and its inability to motivate the farmers to grow such vegetables within the region. Pointing out that potatoes and onions are the part of every household's daily meal, the farmers have urged the government to launch the potato and onion mission at the earliest," the Union demanded.

The Union also urged the State government to establish a warehouse and cold storage unit for farmers in the Garo Hills to store the locally produced pineapples, bananas, oranges, Burmese grapes, jackfruits, gingers and a variety of citrus fruits.

"These are all enriched with vitamins and organic. Farmers cannot help themselves without having the cold storage unit and warehouse for the long run. They simply dispose of their excess products. In order to help the farmers for the long-run market, setting up a warehouse and cold storage unit is utmost important," he added.

Sangma also stressed the need to set up farmers' market in various parts of the Garo Hills. Stating that though produces like ginger, areca nut, and pineapple among others are largely produced all over the Garo Hills, he pointed out that due to shortage of farmers' markets, they fail to get the platform for presenting their products accordingly.

Demanding departmental supply of farming items to farmers through the respective blocks, the farmers said that there has been a huge supply of farming items for the farmers almost every year, but the items do not reach the poor farmers. On the other hand, such essential farming equipments are acquired by the wealthy villagers who can afford to buy such items, he alleged.

"Therefore the suppliers should be the farmers as they can identify the real beneficiaries and also ensure that the government items reach them," he said.

On fisheries, the Union said that though fish farmers constitute about 60% of the total population in the Garo Hills yet only 5% of them are able to earn their livelihood from fish farming.

"The rest of the fish farmers are struggling or abandoning fishery from their daily activities because they did not get help from the department in time.

"The amount supposed to be released within six months after the training, but it is almost one year or more, the amount has not been released. This has discouraged our fish farmers and they face hardships in earning their livelihood. The government should also complete the construction of hatcheries in all the districts," the Union said.

On animal husbandry, Sangma said that many farmers had undergone training on cattle rearing, piggery, poultry etc., but even after receiving the certificate, the department did not sanction the scheme.

The HFU also demanded disbursement of all pending relief funds to the farmers affected by natural calamities, development of irrigation system for year-long farming, and identification of real farmers.

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