Growers worried over supply chain due to lockdown
Srinagar: Vegetables growers in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory are worried as they are unable to sell their produce due to strict lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Farmers from different areas of Kashmir said that they were earning good by growing crops like Peas and other vegetables earlier, but lockdown is hitting their livelihood badly as they are unable to sell their produce.They said that have suffered very much damage this year due to lockdown and is likely to hit their pea produce as well.
Khurshid Ahmad, a farmer from Pampore area of Pulwama told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that over thousand households were gaining the share in vegetable market and were eyeing to send peas to different states of India this year.
“We produce pea in April and there remains a very demand of peas in many states of India like Banglore,” he said, adding that this year it seems “we won’t be able to take our produce to local market and can’t even think about to carry our produce outside India.”
He said that in last two years, Patalbagh village which consists of 500 households in Pampore belt has sold pea produce worth Rs 2.3 crore but this year covid-19 lockdown is hitting the prospectus of the vegetable produce.
Another Famer of the locality said that Pampore and its adjacent villages produce pea on over 400 Kanals of land as commercial crop and even a small farmer earns Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per year after selling the pea produce.
“This area is entirely dependent on vegetable produce and no farmer in the area is tempted to grow banned crops like poppy or cannabis,” he told KNO. Vegetable produce is helping whole area in making their economic condition better but the lockdown has kept all the locals in suspense this year.
“Our peas are almost ready and green peas will be remain available for about one month after which they will dry up,” he added. The growers urged the government to ensure supply chain so amid lockdown so that pea and other vegetables reach the markets on time and they are saved from facing losses—(KNO)