Farmers’ plight worsens; banks want loans paid back

The woes of drought-hit farmers in the North Central Province (NCP) increase with banks that have given them loans adding pressure on them while their appeal for relief falls by the wayside.

The Sunday Times learns that some farmers are taking up menial jobs to feed their families since they have pawned jewellery, vehicles and other valuables.

R. P. Dharmathilake, treasurer of the Progressive Farmers’ Collective in Polonnaruwa said it was only by pawning or obtaining bank loans that farmers found money for cultivation and they settled the loans by selling the harvest. But this time much of the harvest was destroyed by the drought and they could not pay back their loans.

He said they had made several pleas to authorities and politicians seeking relief, but the response was poor.

“We had discussions with the politicians in the area on August 27. We submitted our request in writing. We also warned them that we will be organising a protest. But nothing happened,” he said.

M. Dharmathilake said only those farmers who had insured their crops in obtaining bank loans obtained some compensation.

Adding to their woes were bank notices demanding that the farmers pay back their loans.

Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S. M. Chandrasena said compensation would be paid under agriculture insurance and the process had already been started. But Mr. Dharmathilake said the amount to be paid to those who had insured the land was hardly enough to cover the loss.

Agrarian Commissioner, Sunil Weerasinghe said the process of paying compensation would start immediately and would be concluded before the next season.

He said that as part of a relief package, farmers would be given seedpaddy and the bank loan interests would be waived. He said the Ministry of Finance and Planning would instruct the state banks to waive the interests due from drought-hit farmers.

He explained that programmes were being implemented district wise to provide relief to 132,000 farmers affected by the drought.

Regardless of the assurances, farmers say they are still in depths of despair.

Kapilrathna Banda, a farmer from Giritale, Polonnaruwa said that they would not believe the promises of the government anymore. He said the authorities promise that seedpaddy would be distributed free in the next season but there was little guarantee that they would do it.

“Nothing has been done so far on paying compensation. Officials came to the village to collect information on crop damage, but provi- ded little relief. We are now doing odd jobs at the reservoir renovation projects and earn 500 rupees a day,” he said. Nandasena Gunathilake, another farmer whose crops were destroyed by the drought, said this drought was a result of improper water management.

“We have come to the point where we have to sell our possession to find money. We can’t rely on politicians’ promises. What we need is compensation for damaged crop and funds to cultivate in the next season,” he said.

According to latest statistics, more than 250,000 acres of crop have been damaged by the drought in the Northern, North Central and Eastern Provinces.