Ganjam: Salt farmers in Ganjam district are turning away from salt cultivation due to constant loss in the production process for the last three to four years among other reasons, a report said.
As a result, thousands of acre of land in Humma and Ganjam are lying abandoned with cattle seen grazing on them. The reasons are many as salt farming no more allures them as a better livelihood option. This has led to the migration of farmers to other states for livelihood.
The loss has deterred the farmers from taking up salt cultivation on their land. Moreover, lack of sponsorship and compensation from the state government has aggravated their resolve against taking up salt farming.
Sources said that farmers in Humma, Lakshmipur, Jhadukuda, Mayurpada, Niladripur, Khatuakuda, Kantiagad, Binchanapalli, Puintola and Suryanarayanpur villages are into salt farming apart from other cultivation.
The farmers alleged that they have been into salt cultivation since generations but neither the state government nor the district administration is providing them with any kind of sponsorship for better salt cultivation. They also claimed that while lot of awareness programmes are being conducted for better paddy and vegetable cultivation but there is no such programme for salt cultivation.
A salt farmer Brundaban Sahu of Puintola village alleged that while prices of other products get increased over the years, the price of salt has remained unchanged.
A farmer of Mayurpada alleged that they have been incurring loss in salt farming for the last three to four years due to natural calamities and unseasonal rainfall but the administration is not providing them with any compensation. The salt production could increase if the administration provides them with compensation and sponsorship, he said.
Sudam Charan Jena, a farmer-cum-BJP leader said that he has been running to the office of the District Industries Centre to air his problem but the officials are not showing any concern.
A woman salt farmer K Kabita said it is difficult to earn livelihood from salt farming when they have to sell 2 kg of salt at the price of Rs 10 and a sack of salt for Rs 150. As a result, salt farmers and their family members are migrating to other states for livelihood.
Notably, the Union government owns around 1,472 acre of land in the area out of which 729 acre of land is with the Humma and Binchannapalli Salt Cooperative Societies. The rest of the lands are in the name of leaseholders.
When contacted, BDO Jyoti Shankar Ray admitted to having received a memorandum from the society members which he will forward it to the Collector for necessary actions at his end.
