Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa held an urgent meeting with agriculture department officials to address the problems faced by farmers because of the lockdown caused by coronavirus, especially in transport of produce to markets.
The meeting was held after videos emerged of farmers dumping ripe musk melons and grapes into lake-beds in different districts, and dairy farmers throwing away more than a thousand litres of milk into a river canal.
The state government, the CM said after the meeting, has decided to purchase excess milk from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and distribute it in slum areas through urban local bodies.
On Tuesday, a farmer in Chikkodi in north Karnataaka had thrown over 1,500 litres of milk into a river canal as he wasn't able to transport it to the dairies or get decent revenue.
"Certain vegetables and fruits like tomato, melons and grapes, etc were being exported to other states but there is a drop in demand due to the lockdown," the CM said.
Karnataka abuts all six states in the south but the borders were sealed in the initial days of the lockdown. Police have been now told that they must ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles carrying perishable supplies.
The Railways too will have to coordinate on this front, the CM said. Tonnes of grapes and musk melons in particular have gone waste already, and farmers who had a good harvest are in distress.
Officials have been told to find alternative ways to process tomato, grapes and other fruits as much as possible. However with factories having shut down or working on skeletal staff, this is proving an uphill task.
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