The onset of festivals ushers in the promises of prosperity and hope in rural Maharashtra during monsoon. But this year, heavy rain and floods have wreaked havoc on the farmers with their plight showing no signs of abating. Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president Raju Shetti, in conversation with Shubhangi Khapre, reflects on some of the critical issues related to agriculture and farmers in state. Excerpts from the interview: Why have you started a campaign against plastic flowers? Ahead of festivals, our markets are suddenly seeing huge flow of plastic flowers. A majority of plastic flowers in the market are China-made. I am not against any country's product, my concern is to safeguard the interests of our farmers. I met Union minister for environment Bhupendra Yadav this week and demanded that import of plastic flowers from abroad be banned. Plastic flowers have adversely impacted the demand for original flowers and, as a result, affected the livelihood of our farmers in Maharashtra and across the country. Don't you think flower cultivation is at a very small scale right now? It may not have grown at the scale one would have liked to or expected. But since mid 1990s, farmers looking to diversify from traditional crops have been ready to experiment in floriculture. Flower farming is catching up and it has done well in several districts such as Pune and Nashik region. Flowers from Maharashtra are being exported to European countries. The domestic market was also thriving until early 2020. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for two years, the flower market and farming was worst-hit. It not only affected livelihood but also drove farmers into huge debt. Is it because of high investments in floriculture? When you take flower cultivation, a farmer has to invest a sum of Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per acre on building shednet. Green house requires investment of Rs 70,000 to 75,000 per acre. And these are just basic infrastructure. Apart from these, seeds, saplings, fertilizers, water and labour charges are additional expenditure, which cannot be compromised. The main flower cultivation in state is of cut roses, jerbera, marigold, migrants, orchids, gladola and shewanti. State Monsoon session just concluded on August 25. Do you think it addressed agriculture sector? It was a very short session. I am disappointed with both ruling BJP-Shinde Sena government as well as Opposition parties such as the Congress, the NCP, (Uddhav) Thackeray's Shiv Sena etc. It seemed they were more interested in performing on the steps of Vidhan Bhawan than working inside the state legislative assembly and council. The ongoing session failed to bring agriculture crisis and plight of farmers to centrestage during the session. Both ruling dispensation and Opposition failed. But agriculture was discussed. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made an emotive appeal through a written letter addressed to farmers. Now, just expressing sentiments is not solution to their hardships. Look at the magnitude of khariff crop loss. Farmers are devastated.their entire crops are washed. What panchanamas will you do? Instead, government should have given Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per hectare help to farmers. What is the point of releasing funds later? Had they given financial help immediately, farmers would have started planning for rabi season. Are you suggesting loan waiver? Not at all. Complete loan waiver is not the solution. As incessant rains and floods have played havoc in parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha region, farmers cultivating soyabean and cotton are worst hit. So, extending help to small and marginal farmers should be government's priority. Also, loans for soyabean and cotton are pretty low as compared to sugarcane farmers. A blanket loan waiver does not work. It only works to big farmers' advantage. But generous financial assistance is the need of the hour to keep the morale of small and marginal farmers high. Unless you assess the damage through panchanamas how can financial package be declared? There are instances of farmers resorting to extreme measures like suicides. What more proof you need to establish farm crisis? As I said, rains have flooded fields. Entire crops have got destroyed. Just giving assurances and showing sympathy are not going to help in improving the life and livelihood of farmers. During Covid pandemic, dairy farmers suffered as milk prices dropped. Has the situation improved? Things are not fine but certainly better compared to Covid pandemic days as far as dairy farming sector is concerned. But then, there are basic issues related to milk rates which will have to be taken up by Centre. I urged the Centre to announce a guaranteed prices for milk policy at national level. How will that help? Today, we have a Centre's policy where fair remuneration price for sugarcane is fixed. So, sugar mills cannot exploit sugarcane farmers by giving lower FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price). They have to maintain the base price levels. Similarly, if Centre announced milk rates annually, milk companies will have to pay minimum support price to dairy farmers when they procure from them. In absence of milk rates policy, private milk companies exploit dairy farmers by paying lower rates. Maharashtra's daily milk production is second highest in country. Even if domestic milk rates are higher, in absence of Central policy, private companies can get milk from neighbouring states at relatively lower rates to earn higher profit in domestic market.
