Lockdown making life difficult for farmers in Punjab

The farmers are among the worst-hit in the lockdown imposed to combat coronavirus spread. They say they are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices, resulting in huge loss. The vegetables and other farm produce are rotting in the fields due to lack of labourers and transport facilities.

Malerkotla (Punjab): The farmers in Punjab have suffered a huge loss due to the lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus spread in the country.

Farmers have complained that they are forced to sell their produce, be it vegetables or grains, at much lower prices. "The wages for labourers and other investment are higher than what we end up earning from our farms," one of the farmers told ETV Bharat.

He said farmers in the state are finding it very difficult to take the produce to the markets due to the lack of transport facilities.

"Cucumber, cauliflower and other vegetables lying in the farms will be wasted as we don't get labourers," said the farmer, adding that it may take years for the farmers to come out of this situation.

"It would have a long impact on the farming community as they are the worst hit due to the lockdown," he said.

The central government had previously announced a 21-day long lockdown and then extended it by 19 more days to curb the spread of coronavirus, the deadly disease which has killed almost two lakh people worldwide.