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Ludhiana: ‘Exhibition’, not Kisan Mela, say Farmers
A farmer, Dalip Singh of Sahnewal, said, “Everything was so expensive; besides eating on few stalls and getting a couple of tools, I couldn’t put my hands on anything else”
Farmers at the Kisan Mela have expressed their disappointment over the “commercialisation” of event, saying that it has developed into an “exhibition” over the years.
The Kisan Mela organised at Panjab Agricultural University (PAU) concluded on Friday. Farmers throng to the event to learn about latest technologies in agriculture; better quality seeds, literature and machinery. However, many of them felt that the fair was going out of their approach.
A farmer of Jagraon, Jagdev Singh, said, “The machines on display are expensive. I enquired about a maize reaping machine. It costs around ₹37 lakh with a monthly interest of above ₹30,000. How can a common farmer buy this?” It may be called Kisan Mela, but real beneficiaries appear to be the machine sellers, he added.
Another farmer, Dalip Singh of Sahnewal, said, “Everything was so expensive. Besides eating on few stalls and getting a couple of tools, I couldn’t put my hands on anything else.”
A farmer of Gurdaspur, Bhupinder Singh, said, “This is less of a mela and more of an exhibition with expensive equipments on display.”
Vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said, “As far as our seeds and literature are concerned, we sold them at a price less than the cost of production. However, it is the heavy machinery stalls, which have made these farmers believe the event as an exhibition.”
The Kisan Mela was inaugurated on Thursday by the state agriculture minister Gurpreet Singh Khuddian.
World Food Prize winner, Dr Khush stresses on crop diversification
On second day of Kisan Mela, farmers learnt the significance of agricultural diversification and value addition to enhance their income and ensure sustainable farming practices. The speaker was World Food Prize winner, Dr Gurdev Singh Khush.
The event aimed at fostering entrepreneurial skills and augmenting family earnings through both on-farm and off-farm ventures. Farmers received quality seeds, planting materials, farm literature, processed products and apparel while participating in live field demonstrations and exploring agro-industrial exhibitions.
Khush underscored a comprehensive strategy for rejuvenating the agricultural landscape. He emphasised the conservation of water resources, judicious input usage and the urgent need for straw management to mitigate their burning. He also urged farmers to break away from the rice-wheat cycle and highlighted the potential of pulses, oilseeds and livestock products to bolster their incomes and reduce import dependency.
Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission chairman Sukhpal Singh, addressed farmers’ persistent challenges despite the state’s global leadership in grain production. He pledged to introduce a sustainable agricultural policy focused on diversification and cooperative development, ensuring equitable returns for farmers.
V-C encouraged farmers to embark on an entrepreneurial journey alongside traditional agriculture like developed countries and promote holistic socio-economic empowerment.
The attendees also included students from Yale University, USA.
