NAGAON, March 31 - Following the nationwide lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 100 seasonal vegetable and watermelon farmers of No. 2 Bihdubi village under Kaliabor subdivision and other riverine areas in Nagaon district have suffered huge loss as their produce has started to rot in their fields due to lack of any marketing avenue.
Farmers like Ganga Rajbhor, Lakhan Rajbhor, Lakhi Rajbhor, to name only a few, of No. 2 Bihdubi village under Kaliabor subdivision cultivated watermelon and other seasonal vegetables in around 100 bighas of land by utilising modern scientific inputs.
It goes without saying that the farmers concerned had also invested a sizeable amount of money in their agricultural endeavour by availing bank loans and approaching micro finance organisations present in the area.
With hopes dashed to the ground under the present circumstances, the hapless farmers today rued before this Correspondent how their back-breaking toil went in vain even as large quantities of their produce rot in their fields.
Despite having invested around Rs 20,000 each, the likes of Ganga Rajbhor, while interacting with the media, expressed concern on how they would repay their loans on time.
Similarly, thousands of quintals of seasonal vegetables in hundreds of bighas of land along the riverine areas at Sutirpar, Chitolmari Pathar, Chitolmari Beel, Johajaan, Niz Dhing, Kandhulimari and other locations too are decaying in the fields due to lack of scientific storage facilities or proper marketing avenues, especially during this lockdown period.
