Bengal Saw a Bumper Potato Crop This Season. Now, Three Farmers Have Taken Their Lives |
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Rangamati (Bengal): As of March 15, three potato farmers in Bengal have died by suicide.
Twenty-eight-year old Rakhal Ari was a resident of Rangamati village under Manikkunda Gram Panchayat of Chandrakona 1 Block in Paschim Medinipur district. A marginal farmer, Rakhal had invested Rs 1,70,000 on potato cultivation efforts this season. As the days rolled on, his family says he realised that he would be losing everything and will not be able to repay his debts. On March 6, he took his own life, his family says. Rakhal passed away on March 11.
Fifty-seven-year-old Sahadeb Nandi, a resident of Amrapat village under Shyambazar Gram Panchayat in Goghat Block 2 in Hooghly district was also a potato farmer. During the second week of March, Sahadeb consumed pesticide.
On March 15, 78-year-old potato farmer Sailen Ghose, of Kadipara village in Kalna Block 2, hanged himself.
The three unnatural deaths within six days have intensified waves of panic over falling potato prices across Bengal. Those who invested in potato cultivation are now living in a state of extreme uncertainty. A majority of these farmers took out loans to fund their cultivation. But the price of potatoes has been falling rapidly every day. On March 16, the price of the most popular Joyti variety of potatoes was Rs 200 per quintal. And there are few buyers.
A farmer’s child eats lunch while his family works in the fields at Rangamati village of Bengal. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee. The Wire has blurred the minor’s face in accordance with juvenile justice laws.
The state government’s Agriculture Marketing Department issued a directive on February 13 stating that the government would procure potatoes from farmers holding Krishak Bandhu cards at a rate of Rs 950 per quintal. Each farmer would be allowed to sell up to 35 quintals (70 packets) of potatoes to the government.
According to the directive, the procured potatoes would be stored under the supervision of the respective District Magistrates. Cold storage facilities were also instructed to keep 30% of their capacity vacant until March 25 to accommodate the procurement.
However, despite the announcement, government procurement has reportedly taken place in only one or two areas in the state. In most areas, farmers say that no potatoes have been purchased from them so far.
As a result, farmers are being forced to store their produce in cold storages at a heavy loss. Most storage facilities are already filled to capacity, leaving farmers with few options. Farmers say that a huge part of this years’ potato output is still lying in the fields, with no buyers in sight.
A farmer gathers potatoes in the field at Joypur of Bankura. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.
At Rangamati, a picture of devastation
Rangamati village is located about 60 kilometres north of the district headquarters of Medinipur and around 10 kilometres from the block headquarter of Chandrakona town. The village is predominantly inhabited by people of belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, who are largely dependent on agriculture. There are no big landowners in the village.
“Most families in this village received pattas (permanent land titles) during the Left Front rule. Earlier, we had to travel outside in search of work. After receiving the land titles, many agricultural labourers gradually became cultivators,” Sanjay Bhuiya, a marginal farmer at Rangamati village told The Wire. He said that most villagers own no more than four to five bighas of land.
During the monsoon, floodwaters from the Shilaboti River damage the crops of Rangamati village. This year was no exception, yet potato production was unusually high, say villagers.
“Last year too farmers did not receive a fair price of potatoes, although the losses were slightly lower. This year, however, the situation has been unfavourable right from the beginning. Potato production has been exceptionally high, reaching levels never seen before. Yet the pressing question remains: where are the buyers for all these potatoes?,” says Tapan Pandit, another farmer at Rangamati village.
Rakhal Ari’s widow Rita and his two children. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee. The Wire has blurred the minors’ faces in accordance with juvenile justice laws.
The home of Rakhal Ari is in the Majhpara area of the village. When this reporter visited his residence two days ago, he found the Ari family sitting silently on the veranda. Rakhal was the sole earning member of the family. His elderly mother, his wife, and two minor children face an uncertain future.
“We have only 10 kathas [126.46 square metres and 1/20th of a bigha] of our own land. Rakhal had taken about three and half bighas of land on share from a farmer in the village to cultivate potatoes. Now everything is ruined,” says Archana, Rakhal’s mother.
She recalled that when Rakhal was still in her womb, his father, a village watchman Brindaban Ari had passed away. As a farm labourer, Archana had struggled to raise her daughter and son, somehow keeping the family afloat. In time, Rakhal took on the responsibility of the household and became its only support. “Now, he too is gone,” she says, her voice breaking.
Rakhal Ari’s mother, Archana. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.
Beside Rakhal’s widow Rita are their two minor sons Ananda, a Class 6 student, and Abir, who studies in Class 2.
“Before sowing potatoes this year, Rakhal had pawned some of my jewellery off to borrow money at interest. He also had outstanding debts at the fertiliser and seed shops. For the cultivation itself, he borrowed some cash. He had promised that once the potatoes were harvested, he would repay all the debts and redeem my jewellery,” Rita says.
Rita says that she and Rakhal harvested potatoes on 15 kathas of land with their own hands. “He even bought the sacks from the market in which he would carry the produce to be sold. The local trader had promised to buy the potatoes at Rs 400 per quintal, but the latter reduced the price to Rs 250. My husband was completely shattered,” she says.
Rita points to the empty potato sacks lying unused on the verandah. But the untenable mathematics of this season made fools of the Ari family. “The cost of cultivation was nearly Rs 30,000 per bigha. We produced around 60 quintals of potatoes per bigha. If the price drops to 200 per quintal, we stand to incur a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 per bigha,” she explains.
Rakhal was in visible agony, Rita says. On March 6, Rita discovered Rakhal frothing at the mouth and a bottle of pesticide nearby. He was first taken to Khirpai Hospital and later shifted to Ghatal as his condition deteriorated. Despite efforts to save him, Rakhal died in the afternoon on March 11.
Farmers of Raibaghini, Kotulpur. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee
The Ari family’s predicament echoes across lakhs of potato farmers and traders – the very providers of food – who are reeling under the devastating collapse of potato prices in the market. Archana Ari says their potatoes still lie in the fields, rotting with each passing day.
A visit to the village fields indeed revealed a grim scene – farmers, with downcast faces, harvesting potatoes under a cloud of despair. Batul Gurat, along with his wife Ila Gurat, their sons Anupam and Subham, and daughter Tiya were digging out potatoes from their land. In the adjoining field, Tarapada Dalui, Animesh Badui, Kamala and Chhabi Ari were engaged in the same backbreaking task.
“We have spent nearly Rs 30,000 per bigha to cultivate potatoes. Now the market sell price has fallen to Rs 200 per quintal. We are staring at massive losses,” Tarapada says. “Who will buy our produce? All of us are heading towards ruin. Who will save us?”
The cultivators said that leaving the potatoes underground would only lead to further spoilage, and so they were forced to harvest the potatoes despite staring at the losses.
“We cannot afford to hire farm labourers. How will we get the money to pay their wages? We do not know what the future holds for us,” Batul says.
Farmers of Rangamati village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee
Prasenjit Maity, the Krishi Karmadhaksha – an elected official – of Chadrakona 1 Panchayat Samity says that there are 48,753 farmers in the block who hold Krishak Bandhu cards. Maity said that the government has announced procurement of potatoes from farmers, but cold storage facilities are yet to begin the purchasing. “This has naturally led to a crisis situation. Moreover, with bumper potato production this season, prices have been falling steadily every day. “We are unable to understand how to resolve this crisis at the moment. Farmers are suffering from deep distress,” he says.
Meanwhile, Krishnendu Biswas, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Chandrakona 1 block, told The Wire that he is aware of the death by suicide of Rakhal Ari. “It is an extremely tragic incident. The administration has taken initiatives to procure potatoes to support the farmers. We are monitoring the process to ensure that it is carried out smoothly,” he adds.
On March 11, a road block was organised at Kalikapur at the call of the All India Kisan Sabha. Meghnath Bhunia, the state president of the organisation says, “We have demanded full compensation for the family of Rakhal Ari. The government must procure potatoes from farmers at the rate of Rs 1,200 per quintal.”
On March 15, a delegation of the state Kisha Sabha visited Rangamati village and met the Ari family. Financial assistance was also extended to them during the visit.
All India Kisan Sabha members agitate against Rakhal Ari’s death on March 11. Photo: By arrangement.
The potato situation
Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of potatoes in India, followed by Bengal. The state has vast tracts of suitable soil and favourable weather conditions for potato cultivation. Every year, between the first and last weeks of November, various varieties of potato seeds are planted across Bengal. The leading potato-producing districts include Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur and Bankura. Other significant potato growing districts include Howrah, Jhargram, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Uttar Dinajpur and Nadia. Several varieties of potatoes are cultivated in Bengal, including Joyti, Pokhraj, Himanggini, S-6, Chadramukhi and K-22. Among these, Jyoti is the most widely cultivated and has the highest market demand.
According to reliable sources from the agriculture department of Bengal, this year, potatoes were cultivated on 5.14 lakh hectares of land. The state government estimates that total potato production, including all varieties, will reach 140-150 lakh tonnes. This is a 20% rise over last year and a new record in potato production in the state. Nearly 10 lakh families in the state are involved in potato cultivation. And yet, the 496 cold storage facilities in the state have a total capacity of 82 lakh tonnes of potatoes.
Farmers at Rangamati village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.
Farmers are unable to figure out how prices will improve for the potatoes that cannot be stored in cold storages. “At most, 16,40,00,000 packets of potatoes (each weighing 50 kg) can be stored in cold storage. However, total production this year has reached 26,00,00,000 packets. Where will the remaining potatoes go?” asks Lalu Mukherjee, state secretary of Poschimbanga Progototishil Alu Byabsayi Samity (West Bengal progressive potato traders’ organisation).
Tapan Maity, a trader from Porshura in Hooghly district, notes that no one is quoting a fair price for potatoes. “It’s impossible to store all the produce in cold storages, so we are leaving the harvested potatoes in the fields, covered with straw, hoping prices will improve. But due to lack of buyers, these potatoes are now rotting,” Maity says.
He adds that Chandramukhi potatoes are priced at around Rs 600 per quintal, Joyti at Rs 200, while Pokhraj, Hemalini and Colombo varieties are not finding buyers even at Rs 100 per quintal.
Men sit on what used to be Rakhal Ari’s land. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.
Farmers Jayanta Mallik and Subash Kundu from Raibaghini village of Kotulpur in Bankura district echoed similar distress. Large quantities of potatoes remain unsold in the fields. They further pointed out that even the cost of synthetic bags has surged with a 50 kilogram sack now costing Rs 20-25. “If we earn barely Rs 100 from selling a sack of potatoes and have to spend Rs 25 just to buy the bag, what are we left with?” Jayanta asks.
The state government’s directive asking cold storage owners to procure potatoes directly from farmers is not the easiest to follow. Several cold storage owners from Bankura, Medinipur and Hooghly districts say that in order to purchase potatoes from farmers, they would have to take loans from banks. “In that case the government must act as the guarantor for those loans. Otherwise, if prices fall further, how will we repay the debt?” an owner asks, requesting anonymity.
Despite this challenges, a few cold storages in Hooghly and Medinipur have begun purchasing potatoes.
Prasenjit Chatterjee, owner of Chatterjee Cold Storage in Bankura, told The Wire that, as of March 17, procurement from farmers had not yet started in the district, though the process is “currently underway.”
Farmers at Rangamati village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.
The harsh reality is that the government will not procure potatoes from all farmers. Purchases will be limited only to those who possess a Krishak Bandhu card. A significant number of farmers across the state do not even hold Krishak Bandhu cards as many of them are sharecroppers.
Moreover, there is a cap – only up to 35 quintals of potatoes will be bought from each farmer. This has left cultivators deeply anxious. On average, potato yields this season have reached 50-60 quintals per bigha. With such production levels, farmers are left wondering where they will sell the surplus. Adding to their distress, the government directive states that potatoes weighing less than 35 grams will not be procured. This raises yet another pressing question – what will become of the smaller-grade produce?
With no visible relief or clear solution in sight, the crisis facing Bengal’s potato farmers is deepening with each passing moment.