Buguda: Little did the sweet corn farmers in Takarada village under Buguda block in Ganjam district foresee that their sweet dreams would turn sour due to the trying COVID-19 times.
These farmers with their sweet corns piled by the roadsides have a common complain; no customers for their harvest.
For over 100 farmers in Takarada village, growing sweet corn has been a source of earning their livelihood. Since it is their prime crop, they usually take loans from banks and invest in growing corns.
This season was no different. Now they are a worried lot, thinking about how they will repay the loans.
“The coronavirus-induced lockdown and shutdown restrictions have dealt us a huge blow. Just at the time of harvest, these restrictions were imposed, throwing cold water on our dreams,” the farmers complained.
“In past years, we used to send sweet corns to cities in Odisha including Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and even to Kolkata and Mumbai. We never expected this season would turn out to be a disaster. The restrictions have prohibited our regular traders from coming to us to procure the corns. And we also find it difficultto transport to nearby markets to sell them,” they observed.
Mukund Nayak, a corn farmer, said, “What ails us most is the burden of loan. It will never be possible on our part to repay the loan amounts. We request the government to waive off all our loans.”
PNN
