@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ Actually I'm working on another story today on how farmers will face a major credit crisis this quarter. Farm lending in India hit a 5-year low in FY20, according to data from credit bureau CRIF. So-as far my limited knowledge goes- there have been 8 farmer suicides post-lockdown
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ Now this number could be more - as in many places when farmers ended their life - the police report made it out to be a case of suicide due to coronavirus scare. But it could also be that they ended their life because of debt burden & being unable to sell this harvest's produce
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ Farmers across India (Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana) have been dumping tonnes of produce. One farmer in UP Rambhavan Shukla ended his life because he could get no labourers to harvest his crop. Rice, wheat have a shelf-life of 1-3 years if properly stored....
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ But in Madhya Pradesh tonnes of wheat went to waste as it rained and they couldnt harvest in time. I talked to a MP farmer, who said he had only a 45 day window to harvest wheat - and it was his bad luck the rains came resulting in a Rs 7 lakh loss.
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ This farmer Venkata Krishnappa dumped 15 tonnes of grapes worth Rs 5 lakh - despite Chikkaballapur being only 60 km from Bangalore. He is asking how will RBI moratorium help? "That's for existing loans. With harvest wiped out, where will I get fresh capital to sow again?"
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ Venkata Krishnappa dumping his grapes in a field. Heartbreaking!
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ And I've not even started on the major losses faced by flower growers, small tea estate owners or labourers. Most of these people are daily wagers- there are starvation deaths where administration has denied it's due to hunger. They always say the person had other health issues
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ Farmers in Karnataka, who grew flowers and potatoes, having to dump. Potatoes despite having a shelf life of 2 months in cold storage - with supply chain issues - many farmers have been unable to send to cold storage units.
@rakeshfilm @_realitybytes__ @rehnewsletter @Shehla_Rashid @_kanikas_ I find it sad that apart from data provided by banks, RBI - everything else with regard to the situation of farmers and migrant labourers in the country is anecdotal and undocumented. When farmers send such beautiful images- heartbreaking the tragedy behind it 
