Shillong July 1: The Hill Farmers’ Union (HFU) from West Garo Hills district has submitted a charter of demands to Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong and highlighted the potentiality of organic farming in the state and hardships being faced by farmers in the region.

In the memorandum, HFU West Garo Hills district general secretary, L K Sangma said that the soil in Garo Hills is fertile and every natural and farming produces, grows without using chemicals or pesticides. “Farmers in Garo Hills need the organic certificate from the Central government in order to justify their products and also promote their livelihood in the marketing sector,” he said.

He also demanded special incentives for setting up a warehouse and cashew processing unit in Garo Hills stating that the quality of cashew nuts grown in Garo Hills are recognized as the king of cashew which is under the category of ‘best quality’ compared to others.

“Cashew from Garo Hills are in high demand and can be exported to other countries. But the farmers are discouraged to maintain their farm due to inaccessibility of markets. It is the middlemen who exploit the farmers by buying at low price but selling the stocks at high price by sending to other states,” the HFU leader said.

The HFU also demanded the launching of the Potato and Onion Mission in Garo Hills.

“It is the failure of the government that the people of Garo Hills need vegetables from outside. It is also because of the failure of the Agriculture Department to impart awareness about the importance of local organic vegetables and to motivate the farmers to grow such vegetables within the region. Potato and onion are the daily part of every household’s meal. The farmers therefore urge the government to launch the potato and onion mission at the earliest,” the Union demanded.

The Union also urged the state government to establish a warehouse and cold storage unit for farmers in Garo Hills that largely produced pineapple, banana, orange, Burmese grape, jackfruit, ginger and a variety of citrus fruits.

“These are all enriched with vitamins and organic. Farmers cannot help themselves without having the cold storage unit and warehouse for the long run. They simply disposed of their products. In order to help the farmers for the long run market, setting up a warehouse and cold storage unit is utmost important,” he said.

Sangma also stressed the need to set up farmers’ market in various parts of Garo Hills while stating that produces like ginger, areca nut, and pineapple are largely produced all over Garo

Hills, but due to shortage of farmers’ markets, they could not get the platform to present their products accordingly.

Demanding departmental supply of farming items to farmers through the respective blocks, the farmers said that there has been huge supply of farming items for the farmers almost

every year, but the items did not reach the most needed poor farmers, rather it was acquired by wealthy villagers who can effort individually to buy those items.

“Therefore the suppliers should be the farmers as they know the real beneficiaries,” he said.

On fisheries, the Union said that fish farmers constituted about 60% in Garo Hills, but only 5% are satisfied and earned their livelihood from fish farming.

“The rest of the fish farmers are struggling or abandoning fishery from their daily activities because they did not get help from the department in time. The amount supposed to be released within six months after the training, but it is almost one year or more, the amount has not been released. This has discouraged our fish farmers and they face hardships in earning their livelihood. The government should also complete the construction of hatcheries in all the districts,” the Union said.

On animal husbandry, Sangma said that many farmers had undergone training on cattle rearing, piggery, poultry etc, but even after receiving the certificate, the department did not sanction the scheme.

The HFU also demanded disbursement of all pending relief funds to the farmers affected by natural calamities, development of irrigation system for the whole year farming, and identification of real farmers.