SHILLONG: The Synjuk ki Khlieh Nongsynshar Shnong, Mawkynrew Constituency, Khyrim Syiemship, has proposed to set up a new wholesale farmers’ market at Lad Smit, Hima Khyrim.
The Synjuk, in a letter to Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, said that in order to address the needs of the farmers, especially in these times of crisis, it has proposed to open a wholesale market at Lad Smit at the earliest with the appropriate minimum support price (MSP) for all products.
It said that the pandemic has been the harshest on farmers. “Due to the Covid-19-forced lockdown, normal life has come to a standstill in the state as people from all spheres of life have to co-operate with the government instructions. But, it is the farmers who are suffering the most,” the Synjuk said.
The harvest season for vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, etc, is due by early May.
The Synjuk said that according to its sources some farmers from the villages of Mawber, Thadan, etc., are selling cabbage at a paltry sum of Rs 3 per kilogram. “This is not only taking a toll on their earnings but also causing intense pressure to the farmers,” the letter read.
It further informed that after an interaction at Thynroit village on Wednesday, farmers expressed disappointment over the absence of wholesale market.
“The new market will prevent the exploitation of the farmers by middlemen and relieve their plight,” it added.
