From Cabbage to Radish: Our Farmers are Desperate – No Future without Farmers
Editor,
The heartbreaking scenes unfolding across Meghalaya should shake the conscience of every citizen and policymaker. Only days after cabbage growers in the Smit area were forced to distribute nearly six tonnes of cabbage free of cost because they could not find buyers, another tragedy has emerged. Farmers in Nongthliew, East Khasi Hills, are now dumping heaps of freshly harvested radish in their fields as prices have crashed to an unsustainable Rs 2 to Rs 4 per kilogram.
These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a deeply broken agricultural marketing system that is failing the very people who feed our society. A society is judged by how it treats the hands that feed it. Supporting our farmers is not an act of charity, it is an investment in our own future. Every fruit, every vegetable, and every grain that reaches our dining table comes from someone’s sacrifice, determination, and months of relentless hard work. If we cannot protect those who produce our food, we cannot claim to value food security.
A farmer does not simply grow vegetables but cultivates life itself. Before the first rays of sunlight reach our homes, farmers are already in their fields, battling unpredictable weather, rising input costs, pests, transportation challenges, and uncertain markets. Yet after months of labour, they are forced to sell their produce at prices that do not even recover the cost of cultivation.
The situation in Nongthliew is particularly alarming. Farmers invested heavily in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, transportation, and loan repayments, only to be offered prices as low as Rs 2 to Rs 4 per kilogram. Many have no option but to dump perfectly good radish in open fields because harvesting costs more than the returns.
To make matters worse, farmers allege that middlemen dictate prices without giving cultivators any bargaining power. They also claim that traders deduct one kilogram for every ten kilograms purchased, causing further financial losses. Such practices not only exploit farmers but also rob them of the dignity and reward they deserve for their labour.
Many cultivators have taken loans to finance their crops and are now struggling to repay them. As one farmer painfully remarked, even Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kilogram would at least allow them to recover their cultivation costs. At the current prices, however, they are sinking deeper into debt and despair.
The tragedy worsens because Meghalaya produces some of the freshest and healthiest agricultural products in the country. Much of our produce is naturally grown with minimal chemical inputs, making it increasingly valuable in an age where consumers seek healthy and organic food. Yet ironically, the very hands that nourish us are themselves struggling to survive.
These recurring crises are not simply about cabbage or radish or about one crop or one season. They demand an urgent need for comprehensive agricultural reforms. Farmers require transparent markets, fair pricing mechanisms, regulated trading practices, better storage facilities, cold-chain infrastructure, food processing units, value-addition opportunities, and stronger market linkages beyond the state. Agriculture cannot continue to depend solely on middlemen who dictate prices while farmers bear all the risks.
The farmers’ movement in Delhi reminded the nation of one undeniable truth – whether in the plains of Punjab or the hills of Meghalaya, the aspiration is the same. The recent experiences of Meghalaya’s farmers remind us of a simple but powerful truth: farmers are not asking for charity; they are asking for fairness. They only seek the opportunity to earn a dignified livelihood through honest labour. Their voices must be heard and lead to meaningful action.
To the hardworking farmers of Meghalaya, I wish to say this: please do not lose hope. Your labour is never in vain. Your perseverance feeds every family, strengthens our economy, protects our environment, preserves our traditions, and safeguards the future of generations yet to come. The people of Meghalaya stand with you, and your struggle deserves the immediate attention of every policymaker and every citizen.
As consumers, we too have a responsibility. Let us choose locally grown produce whenever possible; support our village market; appreciate the dignity of farming, and encourage our youth to see agriculture not as a profession of last resort but as a profession of honour, innovation, and nation-building.
When farmers prosper, our villages become stronger; our economy grows more resilient, and our food security remains protected. A prosperous Meghalaya cannot be built upon the hardship and suffering of its farmers.
A nation’s true wealth is not measured by the height of its buildings but by the strength of the hands that grow its food. Let us honour our farmers not merely with words of appreciation but with policies of justice, fair markets, and meaningful action.
Let us not forget the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. When lockdowns brought normal life to a standstill, markets were shut, vehicles were restricted, and the transportation of food from outside the state was severely disrupted, many families struggled to obtain essential food supplies and had to ration what little they had. During that difficult period, it was our local farmers who continued working tirelessly in their fields, ensuring that fresh vegetables and essential food reached our communities despite immense challenges. They became the backbone of our food security when the world around us came to a halt.
It is therefore ironic and deeply unjust that the very farmers who sustained us during one of the darkest chapters in recent history are today struggling to sustain themselves. If we could depend on them in our time of greatest need, surely they deserve our unwavering support, fair prices, and meaningful protection today because without farmers, there is no food. Without food, there is no future. When we protect our farmers, we protect our future. If we continue to allow our farmers to harvest losses instead of hope, we will one day harvest hunger instead of prosperity.
Yours etc.,
Augusten Blah,
Shillong
Parents’ worst tragedy
Editor
Losing a child is a tragic and painful thing that could ever happen to parents. The tragedy that had befallen the two families who lost their children on July 15 in Umtangling village can only be imagined by many of us but the pain and loss can only be felt by the parents of these young boys. What happened to the three boys should not have happened if the authority concerned – the MeECL had paid heed to the tidings of less important people. The lives of the 11, 12 and 15 year old boys were snatched away from this earth only because they happened to step on a live electrical wire out of ignorance of the dangers it presented.
The lackadaisical attitude of those in control of the Power Sector has led to the untimely death of the boys who have not even seen much of the world yet. Now, the question that comes next is how precious are these lives? Certainly, for the parents, the lives of their children are the most valuable and precious. For that matter any parent would go to any extent to protect their flesh and blood. On that fateful day, the death of the boys left a void in the hearts of the parents that can never be filled. The greater loss though was that of the 3 lives. For the parents no amount of compensation would be able to compensate the loss of lives of their children. What is truly needed is for those at fault and those responsible for this act of carelessness to be severely punished. The parents can never get their sons back but they can at least find solace and be comforted when they see that justice is served.
Stringent action must be taken against those responsible so that it could act as a deterrent against such irresponsible acts. As a parent I can only offer my condolences and empathize with the parents and pray that such a thing should never befall anyone else.
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
