Jagatsinghpur: The cyclonic storm Amphan coupled with coronavirus induced lockdown has wreaked havoc not only on paddy but also on betel farming– the main cash crop of farmers in this district.
Over 10,000 betel vine farmers and 20,000 farmhands are reeling from distress with the calamity blowing their cultivation. The district produces 22,000 lakh betel leaves per annum that are transported out of the state and to other districts.
Many farmers had borrowed money to raise their betel vines. They are now pondering over how to repay their loans. The twin blow has hit the farmers, farmhands and traders hard.
Things have come to such a pass that many do not have the necessary means to survive. Left with no options, they are now selling bundles of betel leaves (a bundle consists of 50 leaves) at Rs 5 or Rs 7
Sources said Erasama block has the highest 4,000 betel vines out of the total betel cultivation in Jagatsinghpur district. Dhinkia, Nuagaon, Bamadeipur, Balitutha, Japa, Kunjakothi, Gadakujang, Ambiki, Padmapur, Goda, and Gadaharishpur areas are the hub of betel cultivation.
Betel cultivation is also carried out in Patapur, Hansura, Malasahi panchayats in Kujang block, Sanra, Tarjanga, Tandimula in Tirtol block, Badagaon, Naharana, Garam, Anantapur in Balikuda block, Bada Khandayat in Biridi block, Taran, Redhua, Chikinia, Purunabasant, Chhapada in Raghunathpur block, Sikhar, Rohia in Naugaon block as well as Ayar, Mandasahi and Odisho in Jagatsinghpur block. Over half the total produce is transported to Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Kolkata, Agra, Solapur, Goa and Bangalore for sale.
However, the sudden announcement of the lockdown brought the betel trade to a grinding halt leaving the farmers clueless. Betel leaves started rotting without being transported anywhere. Later came the cyclonic storm Amphan which dealt a death blow to betel cultivation.
Betel farmers Anant Swain of Dhinkia, Bhramarbar Patra of Gobindpur, Dhiren Kumar Samantray of Nuagaon, Gopabandhu Behera of Trilochanpur and Jagu Behera of Gadakujang said betel cultivation is their main source of livelihood. Sale of betel leaves had stopped at the start of the lockdown. Later, they could manage life after the government relaxed the lockdown norms. However, the cyclonic storm destroyed their cultivation. They do not have the money for the revival of the betel vines.
Karunakar Patra, a betel leave trader, of Dhinkia, said in this crisis it has become difficult to recover even the arrears. Moreover, it is difficult to start the business after relaxations in lockdown norms due to acute cash crunch.
When contacted, Mihir Ranjan Samantray, district assistant horticulture officer, said a report on the loss of betel vines in the cyclonic storm has been sent to the District Collector. Later, arrangements will be made for providing compensation to betel farmers, he added.
PNN
