Litchi-growers in Himachal suffer losses during coronavirus lockdown

The litchi-growers in Himachal Pradesh are suffering huge losses due to corona-induced lockdown. Traders are not buying litchis due to the fear of corona transmission and no export of litchis due to sealed borders of the state has made it an uphill task for the farmers to sell the fruit.

Sirmaur(Himachal Pradesh): The litchi growers in Himachal Pradesh staring at an unbearable loss due to the coronavirus pandemic-triggered lockdown. Farmers having litchi orchards have suffered a huge loss as there are no buyers in the market. A severe shortage of migrant labourers has also hit the market as litchi plants were not properly sprayed with pesticides.

Earlier, it was the hailstorm that had wreaked havoc on them by causing a huge loss in the sale of litchi and this year, the on-going lockdown has panicked the farmers.

Every year, Paonta Sahib's litchis were a common sight in the mandis of Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Delhi during the summer season but this year the scenario is different. Even after the government eased the curbs, Litchi owners are facing difficulties as corona fear restricts the traders from buying the litchis. With borders of states being sealed, the export of litchis has come to a halt which has added to the woes of the farmers.

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The fresh litchis are standing in the fields spread over acres waiting for the buyers. But due to the corona-induced lockdown, neither the litchis are sold in Himachal Pradesh nor exported to other states.

It is to be mentioned that most of the farmers are dependent on the litchi for their livelihood but this time, the lockdown has rendered them jobless.