It is very painful to read and see the plight of farmers, particularly onion growing farmers from dry-land farming area. You are right when you say the lady commenting on onion prices, probably has several thousand budget for ornaments, travel and other leisure activities. The comments only show urban bias and insensetivity towards fellow human beings.
However, more grief and sorrow is in stores for people attempting to obtain their wheat, Jowar, Bajara and kerosene from Public Distribution Sysytem or "Fair price Shops". They are made to eat wheat that is not fit even for animals. The ironical thing is that agriculture minister is responsible for it and I have not come across any reporter reporting this sad affair. Now it is high time for reporters like you to pick up the issue and give detailed information about this.
( Posted: Friday , October 05, 2007 at 23:14 )
sk
Its an excellent article on the reality of the lives of rural farmers in this country...and its a SHAME for this country that ..which boasts that its backbone of economy is farmers ..and the very same farmers committing suicide and no one even reacts ...the reality is the urban ,rich population has become insensitive and ultra self centered ...most of our society doesnt bother about what happens in vidarbha or rayalaseema of andhra or chattisgarh or jharkhand ...the urban population is ready to make the rich richer but they dont want to give a penny to give one time meal to a poor man living on pavement or someone who is working throught the year ..in the fields tilling ,waiting for the rains ...borrowing money at huge interest rates ...and if crop fails doesnt know what to do but to commit suicide ..thinking that the govt might give exgratia which might save his family ...an average farmer wakes up around 4 am ...works though out the day...till evening 7 or 8...and he might not even get a minimum wage ..which is decided by the law at the end of the day ...leave aside money ..sometimes they dont get to eat what they produce ...SHAMEFULL to this country which is boasting that sensex is crossing 17k and india is shining and liberalisation and all that crap...the only liberal people in this country are rich ...not even middle class urbans ...when a movie ticket is costing ..180 rs for 2 hr entertainment people are ready ...but public is not ready to give 10 rs for a hard work which took almost 6 months ..to produce a kg of grain ,onion or aloo...the urban society is ready to make richer more richer ...the cell phone companies ,the car companies .the electronics comapanies ,the movie stars ,cricketers but how many of them think about how onions come to their market or how rice is produced ..and transported to the supermarket near by them...we as a society need to be sensitive towards poor and weaker sections of this country especially farmers.then only india wil shine
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 17:28 )
Vinya
I am a software professional and belongs to farming community. I know, how simple it is to protest against farmers. They lack power to media, politics and everybody exploits them - from small workers to politicians, traders, urbanised people. All who are protesting onion prices, simple, just produce 1kg onion, and calculate the price of your efforts. Following are the steps FYI:
Growing Onions: Soil: deep, loose, fertile, friable soil works well for onions. Mix in compost or rotted manure to your bed before you plant.
Spacing: Onions can be planted in a zig-zag pattern with 1-1/2" to 2" between plants for the highest yield in fertile soil.
Direct Seeding: Direct seed in a prepared bed after the soil has warmed to 60°.
Seeding For Transplants: These seeds germinate best in soils around 55°F-95°F. Germination will take 5-7 days.
Watering: Onions need a constant supply of adequate moisture for best results.
Harvesting: Onions are mature when most of the tops fall over.
Post-Harvest Handling: Clean the dirt off onion bulbs with a soft brush or your gloved hand.
Storage: Storage types: Storage onions are best stored in a cool, moderately dry area in ventilated containers.
Very well written article. Indeed as one reader has commented, we respond to articles on film stars and neglect articles on such life issues of the poor. It is a pitty that a farmer after his hard work and sweat is not able to benefit for his produce even after 60 years of independence. When will India woke up and address such issues. Unless we address such issues of the poor quickly, it is not far for a revolution.... Let us think and start addressing such live issues.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 15:00 )
Venkatesh Ravula
It is a pity to see people standing in serpentine queues to buy onions(in Andhra Govt is distribuing onions thro Rythu Bazaars at subsidised prices),All political parties have a common agenda Upliftment of Poor.This has become more of a Fashion Statement for any Ploitical Party rather than in any real sense.We need not be surprised if in the near future we have to stand in queues to buy Rice,Oil,Pulses. Govts especially in A.P. is busy distributing lands at throw away prices to IT & Industrial Sectors who can afford to buy land.At the same time they dont care to monitor the situation of Demand Supply arrangment of essential commodities.What are the Agricultural and Marketing Minsitries doing,probably working for upliftment of Poor by encouraging middlemen and commission agents and filling their own pockets.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 14:15 )
Avinash
I agree to Gauri Shankar. Our Urban India population is not interested in taking up issues of rural India farmers or the kind of problems they face not only with unfair pricing, but also water problem, transportation, health facilities etc. I have visited many villages and seen the kind of state they are in and it is a shame that after 60 years of Independence we are not able to develop rural India and sort out such bigger problems.A win or loss in cricket game gets thousand comments and views and such a genuine problem gets only 2 comments. It is high time that we realize and focus our efforts in sorting out these problems and please take it up as national issue, rather than taking trivial issues which does not matter to any one..
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 13:20 )
Neeraj Jain
Everyday, we talk of the growing Indian economy and the rising share prices. We talk of new job opportunities and paint rosy pictures. But are we concerned about the growth of the rural people or do we care only for the urban poor? The people in the rural areas continue to suffer. We talk of Internet. Today, every job demands good communication skills in English. In villages, you will find students studying in hindi-medium schools so how can you expect those people to get high-paying jobs.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 12:36 )
Srinivas
Pity story of consumer & Farmer, but a happy trader & middle men. Excellent coverage, hope this will be an eye opener to urbanites. No way a politican can mend his ways even after reading this.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 12:16 )
Mahesh
Thanks for writing such a good article. It shows how todays India is not at all proactive or dumb when issues like this is highlighted. A very small issue written no in taste for any political party, religion, or a celebrity, I can see the comments flooded! When will we have a proper system to safeguard everyone interests. Why there is no system to protect farmer's needs? How many suicides in figures does the government required to put a little effort to stop this cruelty. It really hurts when at one side the media, business houses, celebrities propogate themselves about India "shines", India "growing", India "opputunities" and at the other side people cant survive with what they earn and committing suicide.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 12:09 )
raj yashwant
i find the author's view very negative. The author finds something wrong in consumer expecting low prices for commodity. Obviously he is paying higher price for the gold that he is buying, He may not be happy with it, but it is an investment for him and if gold appreciates then his assets are growing and he is gaining in return. But that is not so in the case of onions. He is consuming onions. The consumer has never said that cheat the farmers and give me onions at lower price. The consumer wants it at low price. Now how the low prices is got is question that needs to be posed to policy regulators and free market pundits. If the government tries to manipulate the market and forcibly buy the onions from farmers at very low prices and sells them at price affordable to the consumers then it is criminal intent created by the government and consumer should not be blamed for it. The article tends to suggest that somehow expecting low prices of onions is a sinister expectation. If on the other hand government creates policies that allows more production of onions and over supply of onions brings down the prices then it is good for the consumer. The farmer should then move to products which are highly priced if he can't withstand competition. If he does not do that then is forced to suffer due to his foolishness. He should play the game such that every crop is profitable to him.
( Posted: Thursday , October 04, 2007 at 12:03 )
Thanks for your comments. I don't see wrong in the consumer and my article does say this. Consumers do want the onions at reasonable rates and they should. when the wholesale prices of onions were at Rs.1.50 per kg ( for the past 3-4 years) the retail was at Rs.9-10 per Kg and only traders were making money. The farmers afford to sell it at Rs.6 per kg but the law does not permit them to sell it in retail. That is worse. The farmers should also have a level playing field in this era of market liberalisation.
( Posted by Niranjan Takle on )
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