Thrissur: Farmers are in crisis due to not getting paddy prices on time and the state government cutting the incentive amount. In Thrissur district alone, around Rs 48 crores are yet to be received as paddy prices. Despite having two types of crop insurance, they did not receive even last year's amount.

Crores of rupees are to be received. Due to the year-on-year reduction in the incentive amount provided by the state government, there has been a loss of Rs 414 crores in Kerala. The loss is due to the fact that the incentive amount given by the state government is being cut year after year. These are the problems which are pulling the kole wetland farmers back from agriculture, from the beginning to the end.

They complain that quality seeds are not available on time. Lime and fertilisers are also not available properly.

The farmers also demand that the Enamavu regulator, Idiyanchira regulator, Illikkal regulator, Kottenkottuvalauv regulator, Herbert Link canal regulator, Herbert canal, Chirakkal ditch, Karanchira-Puthenthode lock and Kuthumakkal regulator be repaired.

The motor: A problem

The government had installed submersible motor pumps in all the places, replacing the boxes and the bells in the coal fields, years ago. However, there was an agreement that the parts for this would have to be purchased from a company designated by the Department of Agriculture. The government had assigned a company in Tamil Nadu for this.

Due to this, farmers are forced to go to Coimbatore to buy motor parts. The government had ensured to make these available in such a place with so many kole wetland farmers. But, it has not yet been done.

I'll pick the rice and give the money later

The price of the paddy given in April is yet to be received. The farmers want to get the money within 15 days of taking the paddy. Most of them are farming on various loans. When the money is delayed, their loan repayments will be delayed. The farmers are already angry that the price of the paddy itself is being received as a loan.

Decreasing incentives

The government's annual incentive amount is decreasing year by year is also forcing farmers to back down. Currently, the price of paddy is Rs 28.32 per kg. Of this, Rs 5.32 is from the state government and Rs 28 is from the central government.

Kerala had given up to Rs 8.80 as incentive money in 2019-20. Whenever the Centre increased the support price, Kerala reduced the amount. Due to this, the support price of paddy has never been increasing significantly for years. Farmers are demanding at least Rs 35 per kg.

I'm desperate to sell what I have

Another challenge is the difficulty in selling the harvested paddy. Farmers allege that the acquisition is done at the whim of the mill owners. They are demanding a discount of two to ten kilos per hundred kilos. This is alleged to be because the harvested paddy has a high moisture content. Often, the millers arrive a week after harvesting. This naturally causes the moisture content to increase.

Crop insurance without benefits

The Pullazhi kole wetland in Thrissur alone was entitled to Rs 1.9 crore under the Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers' Welfare’s crop insurance scheme last year. They allege that the government is not even paying this amount that was approved. Almost all Kole Wetlands are entitled to receive this.

In addition, they were promised another crop insurance that was part of climate change.

They are supposed to get at least Rs 10,000 per acre. However, they have not even received last year's insurance amount yet. Farmers allege that the reason for not getting weather insurance is that the government has not paid the premium.