Both Centre and state govt are anti-farmer: Kisan Sabha state prez

Nahan, July 6

Sirmaur district is renowned for its abundant production of garlic, ginger and other cash crops. However, local farmers continue to face significant challenges in securing fair prices for their produce. The absence of adequate storage facilities has exacerbated their plight. Both the Centre and the state government have been accused of neglecting and exploiting farmers.

At a meeting held in Nahan yesterday, the Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha (Sirmaur unit) discussed these issues. The meeting was presided over by Kisan Sabha state president Kuldeep Singh Tanwar. During the session, Tanwar labelled both Central and state governments as anti-farmer. He said Sirmaur had seen a significant shift towards the cultivation of cash crops like ginger and garlic over the past few years. Despite bumper harvests, farmers lacked the necessary infrastructure to store and sell their produce effectively, he added, stating that the persistent issue of wild animals damaging crops further aggravated the situation, with no viable solution in sight.

He said farmers and orchardists had repeatedly raised their concerns with both the Centre and the state government, yet no permanent solutions had been found. Farmers had staged numerous protests and agitations against the Central government, Tanwar added.

He criticised the Central government’s “pro-capitalist policies”, claiming that while loans of big corporations were being waived off, farmers’ issues remained ignored.