Farmers can’t cash in on bumper kharif crop

JAIPUR: Though the Modi government’s decision to demonetize high denomination currencies have been lauded as a decisive step towards tackling black money, it has come at a wrong time for the farmers.
Since it’s time for selling their kharif crop, the Union government move has left farmers high and dry as many agri markets are not fully functional after the announcement came due to cash crunch.
The flow of grains to agriculture mandis have been fallen drastically as farmers are not sure of selling the produce.
After two successive droughts, farmers in the state have reaped a bumper kharif crop this year due to good monsoon.
“All my plans have gone haywire as I don’t know when I can sell my produce,” said Mohan Singh, a farmer.
“I had planned my daughter’s marriage this year after harvesting a bumper crop of ground nut. Everything now seems uncertain,” said Madanlal Saini, another farmer.
Groundnuts, soya bean, maize and bajra are the major kharif crops in Rajasthan.
Bhagwan Sahai Jhatav, secretary of the grain market in Udaipur, said, “The farmers don’t have money even to pay for transporting grains to the market. Besides they are not sure if their produce can be sold in the market in the present scenario.”
Chunnilal Swami, secretary of Anaj mandi in Biakner, said that “ground nuts and jowar are the major produce but its arrival has slowed down considerably. It seems the farmers who need cash are waiting for the situation to stabilize.”
“The flow of grains to the market has slowed down after the demonetisation of currencies. Since the Mandis were closed for two days on Saturday and Sunday, the full impact can be assessed only on Monday,” said Dinesh Kumar Yadav, director. Rajasthan Agriculture Marketing Federation (RAMF).
He said that about 50% of the payment in agriculture mandis under the federation was paid in cash. The cash crunch has definitely impacted sales in mandis, he said.