Koraput, 1st Sept 2025: Koraput district is home to nearly three lakh hectares of cultivable land, of which around 99,000 hectares are used for rice cultivation, along with crops like maize, groundnut, mustard, and various oilseeds. Agriculture remains the primary livelihood for a large section of the district’s population, with four different varieties of rice grown predominantly in the region.
Despite the prominence of agriculture, farmers in Koraput have long faced a series of unresolved issues. For the past few years, discontent has been rising among farmers due to a series of challenges, some of which remain persistent even with changes in government. While the farmers have repeatedly voiced their concerns, the government’s interventions have not yielded significant improvements.
Key Issues Faced by Farmers:
1. Water Scarcity & Irrigation:
A major issue for farmers is the lack of sufficient irrigation facilities. Farmers are often forced to engage in struggles to secure adequate water for their crops, especially during the dry season. Farmers face a struggle with access to canal water, which exacerbates their difficulties in cultivating crops like rice and other crops that require significant water resources.
2. Fertilizer and Agricultural Inputs:
Fertilizer scarcity is another pressing issue. Farmers are often left with limited access to essential inputs like fertilizers, leading to poor crop yields. In particular, the issue of Urea supply has been a recurring topic of debate. There have been concerns about the mixing of substandard fertilizers with urea, further hindering agricultural productivity.
3. Market Access and Procurement:
Farmers also face issues with selling their produce at fair prices. Mandi (market) prices often fall below their expectations, making it difficult for them to recover the cost of cultivation. Furthermore, rice procurement centers have been slow to purchase grains from farmers, leading to delays and uncertainty in payments.
4. Unmet Promises:
Farmers in the region are frustrated that government promises regarding agricultural support have often remained unfulfilled. From irrigation to subsidized fertilizers and crop insurance, many schemes designed to aid farmers have failed to materialize effectively on the ground.
5. Political Inaction:
Despite the long-standing struggles, local politicians and administrators have shown insufficient action to address these issues. Many farmers feel that their concerns are either ignored or not taken seriously. Selfish political motives often delay the resolution of their problems, leading to increased frustration in the farming community.
The Growing Frustration:
The cumulative impact of these problems has led to growing discontent among farmers in Koraput, with many expressing their anger in discussions and protests. They feel their voices are not being heard by those in power, and their livelihoods are being compromised due to systemic inefficiencies and corruption. The lack of immediate and tangible steps to address their grievances has led to a sense of hopelessness.
As the situation continues to worsen, farmers are demanding urgent intervention from both local authorities and the state government to provide solutions that can ease their struggles and ensure a sustainable future for agriculture in Koraput.
In this tense environment, the farmers’ protests are likely to continue growing, unless concrete steps are taken to address these long-standing issues.