The farmers in our area are loosing coconut trees before of their natural life span! The agricultural scientists are active to fond a remedy for this premature loss!
In most coconut farms, one can see some trees turn yellow; first it is the loss of the coconuts before they are ready to be plucked, then it is the stunting of growth and then the leaves turn yellow followed by the leaves falling off and the stem drying up.
I have ben talking to farmers in our neighbourhood who had a tearful story to tell me. Those who have been serving on growing pineapple, tapioca, and banana have suffered huge loss as following the pandemic as the sale price dropped well below the cost of production. Most of them have borrowed money form the bank and are not able to return it. So chance of borrowing further form the banks! The poultry farmers are also in agony as the feed cost has gone up by thirty percent and the price of the meat has not gone up proportionately!
I hear stories fo sadness and loss and I keep wondering whether it has come to stay. The fuel prices have gone up by thirty percent in rtes last three months which has made the taxi drivers suffer loss!
I sense that it has been a season of losses for most people during the last two years.
Amidst the losses, there might be stories of hope and peace!
One family sent me a message of how they as a community has decided to take care of people who have many challenges. This volunteer group has about fifty members, who share about three hours of their time once in a week. They function like a buffer in the community!
If only each of us can be more mindful, we would turn this opportunity into a caring opportunity!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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