Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh)

The farmers of Barabanki district, which is about 40 kms away from Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow, are not getting a good price for the green chilies that they produce because of the lockdown. This is a significant setback for them as the chilies produced here were in demand as far as in the Middle East.

Pankaj Maurya, a resident of Belhara village in Barabanki district: “A large-scale green chili cultivation is undertaken in this region. Even the small farmers earn decently from it. The green chilies in our region had their reach to various mandis in the state and were even exported to many countries. But this year, we are not able to reach the mandi in our district, let alone the foreign shores. Currently, there is an early stage of production of green chilies. Eight days later, about 175-180 quintal green chilies would be produced from our region. If this situation persists, the farmers who are cultivating green chilies are bound to suffer losses.”

Green chilies are cultivated in an area of 2000 hectares every year in Barabanki district. Mahendra Kumar, the district horticulture officer, informed: “Last time we got a good rate for our produce, so this time the farmers had increased the acreage of chili cultivation. Last year, green chilies were cultivated in 18,050 hectares, this time they used an area of about 2000 hectares for cultivation. About 300 quintals chilies are produced per hectare. We hope that the district will produce 60,000 tonnes (6,00,000 quintals) of green chilies this year.”

He further informed that green chilies produced here reach all the major mandis of Uttar Pradesh and traders from South India also approach them. But these traders have not arrived yet due to the lockdown. Those who are coming to the fields are paying half the price compared to their previous year. “While we had earned Rs 4,000-5,000 per quintal of chilies last year, the price for the same has dropped down to Rs 1,500-2,000,” Mahendra Kumar added.

The production of pumpkin, lauki, torai, cucumber, green chilies, garlic, onion and tomato begins from the last days of March in the district. By the first week of April, their demand used to increase in the mandis, but due the growing outbreak of coronavirus, a 21-day lockdown was imposed in the country since March 25 this year, leaving the farmers unable to reach the bigger mandis. Because of this, the price that the farmers are getting for their vegetables in the local mandis is very low. Most of the vegetables would be spoiled anyway if not sold.

Ashwani Verma, a resident of Gangapur village in Barabanki, said: “My two acres of cucumber are ready and there is a bumper production this time. It is a crop which, if not picked daily, will be spoiled. We are picking the cucumber, but are not able it send it to the mandis. So, we have to dump it every day. If at all the local traders are coming, they are giving one rupee per cucumber, which is very less.”

Nanku Rajput, a vegetable farmer, is also suffering due to the low prices. “I cultivate pumpkin, green chilies and lauki. Around this time, crops like pumpkins, gourds and tomatoes always got good prices. However, due to the lockdown we have to sell them dirt cheap.”