Karachi
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=65010&Cat=4
The recent heave rains have all but destroyed the chilli crop, which was once available in abundance at the ‘Mirchi Mandi’ in Kunri Town of Umarkot district. Although there are no official figures to gauge the level of destruction, it is fairly apparent that the rains have adversely affected all growers, sharecroppers and the related workforce.
Al least 3,000 workers used to earn daily wages through this trade and the market would receive around 10,000-12,000 bags everyday. But the rains have spelled disaster for the farmers and workers, severely affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of families. The chili produced and sold in the region not only contributes to domestic consumption, but also helps generate foreign exchange.
The Kunrio market usually starts receiving fresh products by the first week of August and continues to sell the chili till the end of March, ever year. Visiting the major market, one could see just a few workers laying their bags down and then cleaning, drying, handling and preparing to keep their product safe. An old labourer named Abdul Rahim estimated that around 50 percent of the chili crop was lost in the heavy rains.
During a fruitful season, traders earn between Rs800 to Rs1,000 on a daily basis if they work from dawn to dusk. But this depends on the influx of the product into the Mandi or market and the elderly trader believed that this year would be different as a large portion of the crop has been destroyed.
Traders work on open grounds to dry the chili and the painstaking process takes around 10 days. They added that last year, the price of their product was around Rs8000 per mound, but that mount could surge to between Rs12,000 and Rs15,000 due to the shortage of the crop. The market doesn’t only attract local traders, but others from Karachi, Hyderabad and even the Punjab.
The per acre cultivation cost, including the purchasing seed and fertilizer ranges from Rs35,000—45000. The production per acre is up to 30 or 40 mounds on an average. Traveling by road passing through the areas affected by the rains, it was observed that standing chilli crops in the wide areas of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Badin districts had been destroyed. There was no hope for farmers, who were living in the open air, without any form of assistance or aid.
Ajoo Kolhi, a Hindu farmer, standing in front of his makeshift tent by the roadside, said he alone lost chili crop on three acres land and cotton spread over 5 acres and valued his losses at Rs1.2 million.“I have lost each and everything, including crops, house and belongings. Now I have three buffaloes and they are the only things ensuring my family’s survival.”
Kolhi is the father of six children. People in this area usually do not educate their children and as a result, the literacy rat is almost negligible. Worryingly, it seems the government does not have plans to help such people who live in far flung villages and lack basic facilities.
Farmers say that since chili is the most sensitive crop it gets destroyed if it receives too much water. About this year’s rain, they said it was unexpected and brought with it misery and hunger for hundreds of families. The majority of the farmers are forced to take loans from landlords and pay it back after the harvest.
Bhuri Bheel, a young woman who was picking chili along with other workers from a field near Nabisar Jhudo road, said each person does not gather more than 40-kg chilli and earns Rs100for it. She said it was hard work and required special attention.
All the family members work together, but earn a fairly small amount.
These women workers belong to the village, which has been inundated and the families are living by the roadside. The government’s standardized minimum wages for each worker is Rs7000, but it seems there is no law to check the wages being paid to the people of this area.
In the several areas women workforce are reluctant to pick red chilli from stagnant water, due to the danger posed by snakes. The women say that in case of a snake bite, they have to spend more money, which these landlords do not compensate. Hence they cannot risk their lives.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=65010&Cat=4
The recent heave rains have all but destroyed the chilli crop, which was once available in abundance at the ‘Mirchi Mandi’ in Kunri Town of Umarkot district. Although there are no official figures to gauge the level of destruction, it is fairly apparent that the rains have adversely affected all growers, sharecroppers and the related workforce.
Al least 3,000 workers used to earn daily wages through this trade and the market would receive around 10,000-12,000 bags everyday. But the rains have spelled disaster for the farmers and workers, severely affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of families. The chili produced and sold in the region not only contributes to domestic consumption, but also helps generate foreign exchange.
The Kunrio market usually starts receiving fresh products by the first week of August and continues to sell the chili till the end of March, ever year. Visiting the major market, one could see just a few workers laying their bags down and then cleaning, drying, handling and preparing to keep their product safe. An old labourer named Abdul Rahim estimated that around 50 percent of the chili crop was lost in the heavy rains.
During a fruitful season, traders earn between Rs800 to Rs1,000 on a daily basis if they work from dawn to dusk. But this depends on the influx of the product into the Mandi or market and the elderly trader believed that this year would be different as a large portion of the crop has been destroyed.
Traders work on open grounds to dry the chili and the painstaking process takes around 10 days. They added that last year, the price of their product was around Rs8000 per mound, but that mount could surge to between Rs12,000 and Rs15,000 due to the shortage of the crop. The market doesn’t only attract local traders, but others from Karachi, Hyderabad and even the Punjab.
The per acre cultivation cost, including the purchasing seed and fertilizer ranges from Rs35,000—45000. The production per acre is up to 30 or 40 mounds on an average. Traveling by road passing through the areas affected by the rains, it was observed that standing chilli crops in the wide areas of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Badin districts had been destroyed. There was no hope for farmers, who were living in the open air, without any form of assistance or aid.
Ajoo Kolhi, a Hindu farmer, standing in front of his makeshift tent by the roadside, said he alone lost chili crop on three acres land and cotton spread over 5 acres and valued his losses at Rs1.2 million.“I have lost each and everything, including crops, house and belongings. Now I have three buffaloes and they are the only things ensuring my family’s survival.”
Kolhi is the father of six children. People in this area usually do not educate their children and as a result, the literacy rat is almost negligible. Worryingly, it seems the government does not have plans to help such people who live in far flung villages and lack basic facilities.
Farmers say that since chili is the most sensitive crop it gets destroyed if it receives too much water. About this year’s rain, they said it was unexpected and brought with it misery and hunger for hundreds of families. The majority of the farmers are forced to take loans from landlords and pay it back after the harvest.
Bhuri Bheel, a young woman who was picking chili along with other workers from a field near Nabisar Jhudo road, said each person does not gather more than 40-kg chilli and earns Rs100for it. She said it was hard work and required special attention.
All the family members work together, but earn a fairly small amount.
These women workers belong to the village, which has been inundated and the families are living by the roadside. The government’s standardized minimum wages for each worker is Rs7000, but it seems there is no law to check the wages being paid to the people of this area.
In the several areas women workforce are reluctant to pick red chilli from stagnant water, due to the danger posed by snakes. The women say that in case of a snake bite, they have to spend more money, which these landlords do not compensate. Hence they cannot risk their lives.
