Government schemes that hardly benefit farmers

Government schemes that hardly benefit farmers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 9: The government has designed a number of schemes for the benefit of farmers, some of which are the Comprehensive Coconut Cultivation Scheme and National Horticulture Machine. These schemes include facilities such as distribution of plants, free manure, and organic fertilizers.

According to the schemes, the farmers are to be given neem oil cake. The Horticulture Department claims that it gives farmers top quality neem oil cake. However, what the farmers get is only a mixture of soil, seeds, and leaves. The manure doesn’t even require a laboratory test to prove that it is not neem oil cake. 

The officials of the Horticulture Department are aware that the farmers are being cheated. They agree that this has been happening for many years. The department says that it sends samples of the manure to the Bangalore Laboratory. The report from Bangalore says that the manure is “OK.” However, the truth is that farmers do not receive the OK manure. Today, they don’t even bother to avail of these “facilities.” 

Siri Horticulture Department has a commercial complex in the premises of the Horticulture Department of Mangalore. All types of manure, including neem oil cake, are available here. Neem oil cake can be purchased at the rate of Rs 10 per bag. However, the buyer will discover that the bag contains only a substandard mixture of soil, seeds, and leaves; and the officers concerned are well aware of this.