After an anguish Nashik farmer sent his sent his paltry income of Rs 1,064 from selling 750 kg onion to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now an Agra-based farmer, who could save just Rs 490 after selling 19,000 Kg potato crop, has sent the entire amount to PM Modi by money order as a protest.
Reportedly, Pradeep Sharma, a resident of Barauli Ahir village in Agra, had written several letters to Prime Minister and President Ram Nath Kovind that he be allowed to commit suicide.
“I have been facing losses year after year (for four years) while growing potatoes. I had to seek permission for euthanasia from the President and the Prime Minister in July, but there was no result,” Sharma said after sending the money.
Sharma also alleged corruption in the agriculture department with regard to the crop insurance. Sharma said a huge amount was deducted at the time of payment of agriculture insurance amount to him in the past.
Also read: Maharashtra: 38-year-old farmer under Rs 27 lakh debt allegedly commits suicide
This year he had harvested 1,150 packets of potatoes; sown on 10 acres of land. Each packet weighed 50 kgs. Farmers who spend Rs 700-800 per quintal of potato are getting only Rs 549 per quintal which doesn’t even cover the cost of growing the crop.
Meanwhile, a shocked farmer in Madhya Pradesh died of heart attack on December 31 after he earned just Rs 10, 440 for 2700 kg of Onion he had grown.
The 40-year-old Bherulal Malviya had gone to the mandi to sell 27 quintals of onion but due to the price dip, he could only sell his crop for Rs 10,440 at the rate of Rs 372 per quintal. Left shocked with the meagre amount he fetched selling his hard work of the last few months, Malviya suffered a heart attack.
