Odisha: Second wave brings more misery for betel farmers

KENDRAPADA: Betel farmers, who are already buckling under financial crunch due to poor sales during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020, are staring at losses this year too.
Farmers of Kujang and Erasama blocks in Jagatsinghpur district and Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks in Kendrapada district have grown betel leaves over 1,500 acres this year.
“We used to supply betel leaves to Mumbai, Surat, New Delhi, Pune and other cities by train. Now we are struggling to do so due to the lockdowns in Maharashtra, Gujarat and New Delhi. We are losing out as it is our peak harvesting season,” said Ashok Sahoo, a betel farmer of Gobindapur village in Jagatsinghpur district.
With crash in demand, price also fell. The farmers used to sell 1,000 pieces of betel leaves for Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. But now these are priced at Rs 400 to Rs 500. “Last year, we suffered huge losses due to the lockdown. We hoped to revive our trade this year. But the second wave has dashed all our hopes,” said Giridhari Swain, a betel farmer from Jagatsinghpur’s Dhinkia village.
The railways recently cancelled many trains from Odisha to other states for which it is now impossible to transport betel. Also traders in other states are reluctant to buy from them due to the lockdown. “It will be difficult for us to recover the input cost if there is no let-up in the situation,” said Rajat Mandal, a farmer from Kendrapada’s Jamboo village.
The fate of betel growers now hangs in balance with the lockdown and fall in prices, said Umesh Chandra Singh, president of Krusak Sabha, district unit.
Betel farming is an traditional vocation for these farmers. “Every year traders buy from us in April when the harvesting starts. But the second wave has forced them to stay away from the village,” said Paresh Behera of Dhinkia village.
District horticulture officer Kanda Jena said the betel farmers are in deep trouble due to Covid and lockdown. “We are engaging them in plantations and other works under MGNREGA,” he said.
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