The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Fall in prices led to farm crisis in Idukki

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Fall in prices led to farm crisis in Idukki

Special Correspondent

Low productivity, climatic vagaries and shortage of labourer add to the woes

Study moots timely completion of projects
Proposal for a price control cell

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The steady decline in the prices of agriculture products and productivity, climatic vagaries and shortage of labourers have been cited as some of the reasons for the crisis in the agriculture sector in Idukki district.

According to a study conducted by B.A. Prakash, head of the Department of Economics of Kerala University, low productivity of various crops has triggered the crisis in the district in which three-fourth of the families live below the poverty line. The conclusions have been drawn on the basis of the survey conducted in 120 families of farmers in Vazhathoppu, Karimannor and Konnathadi panchayats in the district. The productivity of pepper has gone down by 59 per cent, coconut 48 per cent, cocoa 37 per cent, rubber 25 per cent and clove 38 per cent. Poor rainfall, diseases and lack of irrigation facilities have been pointed out as the reasons for the fall in productivity.

During the past five years, the price of pepper has gone down by 55 per cent, cocoa 27 per cent, coconut 33 per cent and spices by 50 per cent. As much as 79 per cent of the farmers complained of labour shortage. About one-third of the farmers spend only less than Rs.10,000 annually for farming and another 20 per cent of them between Rs.10,000 and Rs.20,000 a year. Farmers who own more than two hectares of land only get sufficient income for subsistence. According to the survey, 90 per cent of the families have availed themselves of loans ranging between Rs.20,000 and Rs.5 lakh from commercial and cooperative banks, Kudumbasree, private banks and money-lenders. They have taken loans for constructing houses, maintenance, marriage, treatment, education, business and purchase of household items. They are not repaying the loans taken from commercial and cooperative banks, but majority of them repay the loans from Kudumbasree.

Since the farmers do not have title-deeds, they do not get loans from commercial and cooperative banks and hence the tendency to depend on money-lenders and private financiers is on the rise. Majority of the farmers do not have any hope of getting assistance from the State government or the farmers’ debt relief commission.

The study has recommended timely completion of irrigation projects in the district as a solution to the water scarcity.

The government should give loans and grants to cooperative institutions, local self-government institutions and such others to increase irrigation facilities in the public and private sector. The Kerala Agricultural University and other agencies should improve its research facilities and seek the assistance of Central government agencies to offer solutions to prevent diseases.

The Union Commerce Ministry should form a price control cell to regulate the prices of spices, coffee, tea, rubber and coconut and curb imports. The State government should make arrangements for procurement of farm products. The Coffee Board, Spice Board, Rubber Board and Coconut Development Board should make market intervention to regulate the prices through procurement.

It has recommended to suspend National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the district during the farming season to overcome labour shortage. Banks and other lending agencies should give loans to meet the other needs of farmers, the study says.

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