In the opening speech to the Shree Nityananda Education Trust's SMART FARMING SEMINAR, Chandrakant Bhoir summarized the plight of local farmers. As a full time agriculturist/farmer and involved in social services of the Wada Taluka within the District Thane of Maharashtra, India, Mr. Bhoir is able to "tell it like it is." He is chairman of the board for various educational institutes, specifically the Vajreshwari Marathi High Secondary Studies. He is personally interested in the changing of the farming situation for all farmers. His father, Bongo Nana Bhoir, was member of Parliament, known for his work for society and village, and a founding member of Shree Nityananda Education Trust.
We are happy to present Mr. Chandrakant Bhoir ideas here. (His original speech was in the state language of Marathi and translated into English):
“As we look at our current scenario of farming, we see farmers who have no hopes of realizing farming as a productive business. Behind the debacle of the farming situation some government officials and some leaders and politicians are responsible. They have not taken any positive steps, actions or solutions to attend to farmers’ grievances.
Special guest Dr. Nitin Bhore, who did his PhD research in agriculture, has been invited by SNET to look into the matter and guide the farmers toward prosperous farming. Dr. Bhore knows how to guide farmers to switch their current condition to profit making farming. Right now thousands of farmers are committing suicide due to failure in crops, no productivity of farming, microloans at high interest rates, and inability to provide for families. Dr Bhore has knowledge of techniques to save farmers and he will give us his valuable guidance.
Before commencing his valuable lecture, I would like to disclose to him the actual problems of farmers. Here in our own area, rice farming is the most important crop between monsoons. Our normal farmer is used to applying chemical fertilizers to cultivate his land and has been relying heavily on them. Powder urea fertilizers are easily available but due to lack of knowledge and guidance, farmers are heavily using urea. As a result, farms, soil and productivity are dying like a slow poison. Urea is actually killing the soil.
Government schemes are just on paper and have little implementation. Currently, in Thane, a farming guidance program is taking place, but in our area no such programs have been organized. SNET has recognized this issue and has organized this valuable program for the sake of our farmers. In other areas of Western Maharashtra, many agriculture committees have been formed, from the village level up to the district level, which are functioning well and working towards solving the problems of farmers, from field cultivation all the way to marketing and selling.
It is a very good thing that for the last 8 to 10 years, farmers are growing many kinds of crops and diversifying to include vegetable farming. During months like December, January, February and March they are producing vegetables. Unfortunately they are getting low prices for these goods. In Thane, vegetables are 40 rupees per kg but the local farmers are unable to get even 20 rupees per kg.
Mostly commission agents and middlemen are getting the advantage of these prices. They come to the farmers and purchase goods at very low prices and sell them to the main market at much higher prices. The Agriculture Product Marketing Complex(APMC)at Vashi (New Mumbai) and other APMCs are controlled by a few big personalities and politicians. They switch the price up and down whenever they want. Farmers avoid going to the APMC because transporting costs, warehousing or storage costs, carriage, commission agent fees and other miscellaneous costs are so high. The Vashi APMC is the closest marketing complex to us and is more than 75 kilometers. away. There is no arrangement of such a market nearby which can give a good and fair price to the farmers.
All political parties and politicians are one and the same. The people who we have elected at the various levels of government are not raising a single issue about the farmers’ problems. There is no one to represent the farmers’ issues at the top level. For raising all these problems, the elected person must be a farmer and loyal to farming.
Whenever there are failures in crops, there are no refunds. The insurance of crops is calculated on 3 years aggregate loss. If it is less than 50%, then farmers get very little compensation after spending many hours of applying for assistance.
In short, there is no fair price for agriculture products. No awareness of water management such as sprinklers, dripping systems, etc. No marketing complex nearby. No knowledgeable assistance. No innovative steps from local government.
I give thanks to SNET for allowing me to make this opening speech. Thank you everybody.”
