Double loss !

A family who came to visit looked distressed and in great dismay!

I an hesitant to explore more than what families intend to reveal during a consultation. 

Towards the end of the consultation they opened up to say something about the financial predicament they landed in by uprooting the cashew plantation which provided the main source of their income 25 years ago. When the rubber plantation became popular because of more financial benefits, the family planted rubber trees by uprooting the cashew trees.  While they had a good returns during  the last ten years, with the rubber prices crashing and less demand for natural rubber, the familiy's income has halved recently. This has pushed them during the last three years into a distressing situation. Now with the tapper's pay going higher, it is not economical to tap the rubber. Now his neighbours have replaced the rubber with banana plantation. This family is in dilemma about their next step.

The ordeal of this family was painful story. 

No wonder the farmers in different parts of india are distress. Th government is moving towards an industry based economy, although farming is the main occupation of the majority in rural India.  

For the family, it is a double loss. They lost eh cashew plantation. Now the Rubber plantation is not yielding.

On way home I looked at acres of rubber plantation on either side of the road. There was no activity in those plantations. There was no sign of trees being got got ready for tapping after the monsoon. 

Life comes to a standstill for some !

'Who cares' was the last statement of the family. I too feel that the political leadership failed the farmers in our country. It is not just financial subsidy the farmers need, but involvement with them to plan for their future. 

Even with mechanisation the cost of production of farm produce has not declined. The price of produce the farmers receive does not compensate for their expenditure. Farmers are debt trapped! 

It is  matter of concern for anyone who cares!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)