Agriculture Or Farming Problems In Kerala!.

Agriculture Or Farming Problems In Kerala!.

Agriculture is the production of the food it has always been our most important economic sector. But this days our paddy field farmers don't like to work in farming sector and most of the paddy field are now converted as rubber plantations. In this post we will check what type of problems farmers are facing in faming sector.

          My father was a farmer he had his own farm. When I was three he is expired. After I completed my System Engineering and Computer Programming courses (2003-04) I got visa offer from Canada and New Zealand. I choose Canada but visa process will take time. Later my mother wend UK with my cousin sister, I was alone in home. I have my own farm and my earnings are coming from rubber plantation and coconut so I should stay in my farm. That's why I decide I will make extra money from my farm and I don't have too much work also. That time Amrita TV channel have a good program called 'Harithabharatham', that focused on the farming culture and explore farming techniques from all over the Country, one Mr. Saj. Kurien was produced that program. One day they telecast about a Kerala based Japanese Quails farm (Kada farm), that attracted me. I called Amrita TV and contacted Mr. Saj. Kurian (recently he won award also), he provide that farm phone number and other necessary details.

         

          After few days I visited that private Japanese Quails farm, that was a modern and standard farm. They have hatchery and they will supply one month quails chicks and eggs also. I made a contract with them they provide me basic ideas and standard faming meatheads. Few months later I started my own japanese quail farm with 200 quail chicks. That was a successful starting, later I added 300 more and that was a profitable business.

          Later I visited Kreala Government owned Kreala Agricultural University Mannuthi (Thrissur). Because I heard they also supplying quail chicks and that price was cheaper than private farm. That University have a big campus and farms, I visited most of the farms all are well managed (sum shed need maintenance). They charged 3/RS for each quail chicks, but one month we should take care that chicks. Newly hatched quail chicks are small and they need brooding temperatures. We should arrange supplementary heat approximately 3-4 week for them after hatching. For this I am sure farmers should need training and need to arrange equipment other wise he never manage it. This same period private farm selled one month chicks at 15/RS and no need heat facility for that quail chicks. Because after one month quail chicks only need food and water (need one tube light also). If Government farm will supply one month quail chicks that is a very good help for quail farmers. I bought 500 quail chicks and sum different type of rabbits from Government farm but that was not successful. Then I decide private farm is good for me.

          Later a budget speech Krala Government announced poultry feed subsidy for poultry farmers, after this lot of people started quail faming all over in Kerala. Because of news I contacted vet nary and agricultural departments, they don't know any thing about subsidy and each this department don't have coordination also, if they don't have coordination then people don't get benefits. After few months egg price was down, quail food price raced. This same period I got sick and I closed my quail farm.

          Now we will go our paddy field, after created Kerala State we built Kuttanad region of the District as the ' Rice bowl' of the State. Other District also had lot of paddy field and that farmers are happy. Paddy field farmers produced paddy for them and others also. Most of the other community agricultural laborers like Tiyyas and I heard Koran, Tavern, Puvan and Aningan also part of that process. But last few decades Kuttanad and other regain paddy field farmers are facing different type of problems. They are not getting good price for paddy, labors are not available, high price for fertilizers and pesticides and local problems also. Because of these things tillage was not a profitable business for farmers, sum are left from traditional job. Three years back India Government formed Dr. M.S.Swaminathan Commission for conduct a scientific study of the region and suggest suitable recommendations. Later M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) recommended a package with a total cost outlay of RS.1840/ Crore and Government approved. That was a largest financial packages sanctioned to a single Village. Kuttanad package was required, may be because of this package Kuttanad region farmers got sum relief but our other area paddy field farmers still having problems.

          According to Deshabhimani news paper our 58% farmers have less than one Hector land only. Now this day's agriculture labor shortage and higher pay is a big problem. Our people ready to work in Gulf Countries only for 5000/ RS but they don't wand work in Kerala. Mechanization is a solution for this, different type of paddy field machines and crop harvesting machines (small and big type) is available in Indian market, Kuttanad region need big type but sum other District small paddy fields only need small type. If Government will provide that type for them is a good step. For example if I need a pesticides application spray pump for my rubber plantation I can get that from our co-operative- society or bank by rent. These way farmers will get all paddy field equipments for his requirement they will make profit from that business.

          Now we will go our subsidy sector, sum times Government will provide subsidy for farmers like subsidy for agricultural bank loan interest, water treatment, water bill, fertilizer and pesticides etc. First we will check agricultural loan interest subsidy. Government allowing agricultural loan for farmers, they will pay only low interest for that amount. We can use this only for agricultural sector. Sum are using that amount for agricultural production, sum use that for buy TV Sets, refrigerator and sum rich people took agricultural loan from bank then distribute that to poor people and they will collect higher interest. That means all agricultural loan is not going to make agricultural production and sum times real farmer is not getting that loan. For Government who are took agricultural loan all are farmers.

          According to Hindu news paper website in India 89362 farmer's suicides between 1997 and 2005, latest Deshabhimani news paper reports that number is one lack. When suicide was increase India Government announced a loan waiver scheme for farmers. This scheme made for approximately 40 million indebted Indian farmers, Government is taking over the debt of farmers and reimbursing the bank, for this loan waiver scheme India Government used 71000/ Crore Rupees. We should think that all money got real farmers? if answer is 'no' then very soon we will hear farmers suicide again.

          A Television channel debate a young man said "my poor father and my neighbor got agricultural loan from bank my father borrowed money from others and paid back that loan. But my neighbor didn't paid, now Government added his loan in waiver scheme, my father become fool". See now Government made two types of citizens in India, fools and brilliants, coming days both are not pay they will expect other loan waiver scheme. Then think what will happen in our banking sector and our economy. One day a village carpenter told me "if Government wand to give sum benefits for us gives that direct to our hand other wise we will never get that full amount". Last government did sum good steps now sum benefits are coming direct to beneficiaries account.

          Now we will go our fertilizer and pesticides departments, I will tell you how a farmer get fertilizer subsidy for his farm. This subsidy is not available every year; most of our co-operative-bank also has a fertilizer store. When fertilizer subsidy allowed we should go bank office. For example in normal case one farmer need 100 kilo gram chemical fertilizer for his rubber and coconut plantations for one season and that cost is 1000 RS, he pay and use that fertilizer. If farmer meet bank officer for his fertilizer subsidy he will say "200 Kg different type of fertilizer is allowed for your rubber and coconut you pay 1350/RS for this fertilizer". See his plants don't wand that fertilizer that need particular rubber fertilizer and coconut fertilizer and he should to pay 350/RS extra also. For him that is not subsidy if you give 100 Kg rubber and coconut fertilizer for 500/RS or 750/RS this is subsidy. Of course he got 200 Kg fertilizer but that is excess for him and that is not his plants fertilizer.

          We have good news also; now in Kerala rubber farmers are happy because they are getting 200/RS per 1Kg. If they will get this price continually that is a profitable business. But still rubber tapping panel (rubber bark) dryness disease is not solved, Government agencies should monitor and control rubber price with International rubber market other wise we will loose that market also. Last few years coconut farmers are not getting a average price, sum season our pepper and cardamom farmers are suffering, sum ginger farmers are went to Karnataka, 100 litter cow is available in other Countries but we don't have, vanilla farmers are shifted from that sector, heard tissue culture seeds are good but not available in all area, furudan (pesticide) was very useful that banned and no equivalent for that…etc. This type of problems also we farmers are facing in faming sector.

          In Kerala this day's farmers don't wand to say they are working in faming sector. Because sum rumors heard "farmer means debtor he will suicide tomorrow or day after tomorrow". But sum educated young people are doing successful business like modern dairy farm, dog breading, fish faming, flower business, etc, they are making good profit. So our farmers need little care, modernization and good advice. Who will give that?.

                                                                            

Shaju.V.T.