Mango Farmers Drowned of Selling Mangoes
Odishabarta
Rather handy to get minimum prices than assured price as returns (!).
Paralakhemundi:Once Gajapati district was renowned for mango productions. Particularly in scheduled blocks like Mohana, RUdayagiri, Rayagada,Nuagada, Gumma & non-scheduled blocks like Gosani & Kashinagar still this year production too doubled comparing last 2 years.
But hectic position lying lack of proper price fixation & demands for which instead of kilo Rs 50 in rural areas they use to sale on handy price of 7 to 10due to lack of demand.
During tenure of Collector Mansi Nimbhal at Gajapati district transportation of produced mangoes helped required price benefits to those farmers. Arrangements made to transport directly from procured farmers.
At Gobindpur and Akili of Mohana block, those farmers procuring plenty of mangoes and other vegetables too. But due to lack of regular selling & marketing those vegetables sold at cheaper prices.Cold storage too not functional either at Paralakhemundi under Horticulture department & largest block of Mohana where huge production could have stored for longer period.
One Devagiri Producers company entrusted to purchase those mangoes but they are at crossed hands instead of doing marketing.Taptapani Farmers Producers group too at dormant,due to lack of infrastructure to store those fruits & vegetables.Says one of the members, Ajit Kumar Sahu, we are at chaos due to lack of support from administration. Mostly Rayagada block dazzled by horticulture products like oranges, pineapples, bananas but lackluster of any processing units nor any innovations to inspire those landless farmers (producing fruits at sloppy land)still feeling shock.Rather like hand to mouth they just sale at toy like cheaper rates to survive their families.
A blueprint of fruits & vegetables production, processing & marketing are imminent, where cashew too a creamy layer for those farmers to earn at ease and stake better livelihoods. At least district administration must feel those chaotic situation during pandemic period where transportation starved and deprived minimum livelihoods, where ORMAS can be best resources to pull all jinx what those farmers & citizens feeling.
