Shillong, Dec 30: Farmers in Meghalaya are reeling under the burden of deductions made on their agricultural products, including potatoes, chillies, and ginger, once they reach the market from the field.

K. Kurbah, a farmer from East Khasi Hills, narrated his hardships to this reporter. “When we take our produce to the market, 1 kg is deducted from every 10 kgs. If we take 100 kgs, 10 kgs are deducted, which is equivalent to one bag of rice. This is a huge loss for us farmers.”

Kurbah appealed to the government to regularize the rates of products that come from the field to the market. “We urge the government to fix a standard rate for our produce so that we don’t suffer losses. We are not asking for much, just a fair price for our hard work.”

The issue of deductions on farm produce has been a long-standing problem in Meghalaya. Despite repeated assurances from the government to form a committee to regulate the prices of agricultural produce, the issue remains unresolved.

“We have been assured time and again that a committee would be formed to ensure that both traders and farmers do not suffer due to over or under-pricing of agricultural produce. But nothing has been done so far,” said Kurbah.

The Meghalaya government had promised to form a committee under relevant sections of the law to address the issue. However, the committee is yet to be constituted, leaving farmers like Kurbah to suffer losses.

“It is high time that the government takes concrete steps to address our grievances. We are not asking for subsidies or handouts, just a fair price for our produce. We urge the government to work with us to find a solution to this problem,” Kurbah said.

As the situation remains unresolved, farmers in Meghalaya continue to suffer losses, affecting their livelihood and the state’s agricultural economy.

Read: Meghalaya farmers learn about new ginger varieties, beekeeping techniques on Kerala exposure trip

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