We all are aware that a new strain of Corona virus is spreading around the globe causing deaths and high disturbance to the world economy. Agriculture plays an important role in Indian economy as majority of population is dependent on agriculture-based works, thus India is among the most vulnerable nations to the disturbance aroused out of Covid-19.
Meanwhile to stop spreading of Covid-19, Authorities imposed a 21-day lockdown starting from March 25, 2020, which is now extended to May 3, 2020, but this sudden announcement caused distress for the farmers and thus affecting the fruit and vegetable sector in an unpleasant manner in a number of ways.
Initially rumours and buzzes resulting in hoarding of semi-perishable items like potatoes, onions followed by sudden spike in demand affecting rise in retail rates. This scenario was persuaded by the disrupted movement of fruit and vegetables throughout the country due to closed borders. Mass migration triggered shortage of farm labourers trained in farm works inducing broken supply chain round the country.
These odd situations up to some extent pressured state authorities to relax the lockdown for essential services in the form of curfew passes or issuing advisories for the smooth passage to allow fresh produce to move quickly across state borders but still transporters are facing difficulties at toll plazas and checkpoints. This pandemic is a global crisis and will surely lead to the food security crisis in India if correct measures will not be taken at right time and also may likely have an extensive and long-term influence on the fruit and vegetable industry.
Primarily unorganised
Composition of fruits and vegetables sector is primarily unorganised i.e., 95% approximately in nature compromising sole owned provision stores, convenient stores, petty hawkers, itinerant vendors and so on. Owing to lockdown the key chain involving cultivation-harvesting-distribution-consumption and the composition broke apart thus creating hustled supply network in nation.
Social distancing
Furthermore market yards which are centralised arrangement for farmers-traders-buyers are categorised under high risk zone by the authorities as these places are prone to viral contamination therefore labourers and workers having improper documentation are facing problem thus triggering shortage of trained manpower for the sector. Many big traders are also avoiding the mandi to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by social distancing themselves.
As per APMC Azadpur Mandi data, supplies arrival in mandi is reduced to 55-60%, forwarding is lowered up to 60-80% thus as a result wholesale rates have fallen down while retail prices are on higher side. In India, fruit and vegetable industry have post-harvest losses at an average rate of 30%. These losses are increasing in present time because of late arrivals, delayed transactions and so on, hence it is very hard to calculate the extent of losses to whole supply chain.
Harvesting and packing process
To say nothing of, in the fertile Karnal district in northern part of Haryana, farmers wake up at 3 am to sell their produce in Mandi as timings are from 4 am to 7 am and after the deadline farmers are helpless for dumping their produce in Mandi to let the fresh produce to be spoil and some are forced to feed cucumbers and cauliflowers to cows and buffaloes. Similar reports are from Panipat district in Haryana, where farmers having advance polyhouses which relies on top notch restaurants, hotels for their supplies are helpless to harrow their standing crop of lettuce, broccolis, exotic capsicums and so on. Alike in Maharashtra, farmers are helpless to feed GI Tag Strawberries to the cattle and likewise some farmers are making raisins and manure from grapes as further harvesting and packing process is extremely intensive.
The pandemic has not even spared king of fruits mango. The mango season started in Andhra Pradesh in March end during primary lockdown days and due to which yellow fruit faced a lot of logistical problems. Equally important, crop quality in western UP and Uttarakhand Plains is forecasted to be good till March end i.e., flower to fruit conversion ratio of 3:1 but in today’s date orchards are in wait of labour for fruit care and maintenance (labour-intensive process) and trained labour is stuck amid lockdown and finally all these losses for almost every commodity in the end stacking upon the farmers.
To prevent the rural economy from collapsing, sustenance investment in logistics is the need of the hour. Green corridor, freight rails should be started to allow smooth passage of fresh fruits and vegetables within country with focus on e-commerce, novel delivery methods (door to door delivery) and these should be encouraged with better policies.
High steps for holistic development of farmers
Establishment of mobile outlets all around the country to sell fruits and vegetables at earliest which helps farmers in lifting their produce direct from the farm and, on the other hand, supplying fresh quality to the population at the fork.
Announcement of package for the fruit and vegetables industry including low-interest or interest-free loans for the farmers.
Launching of district-wise helplines to help farmers in selling their produce and resolve issues like transport, vehicle passes and storage.
Allowing all sub-trades and units associated with fruit and vegetable industry to function for sound development of the sector.
Training and capacity building of farmers about the precautions for Covid-19 like social distancing, use of masks, regular washing of hands thus promoting farm safety, farmer safety and for that seed stores, pesticides stores and agencies like KVKs can play a pivotal role.
In the long run, production and supply of fresh fruits and vegetables will surely be affected because farmers cultivate crops by the virtue of previous profits and trends therefore barrier factors such as manpower shortage and falling demand for fruits and vegetables will be adversely affecting this sector, e.g., in Maharashtra, farmers have obstructive frame of mind for tomato sowing during this pandemic. Also government should focus on everlasting development with focus on establishments of fruit, vegetables kiosks and pan-India clusters for a transparent distribution network with new opportunities for farmers, apart from Mandis, as currently major share is through Mandis.
Aftermath is that in the current situation of pandemic of Covid-19 the fruits and vegetable supply chain is facing lot of challenge. Farmers are already struggling to harvest and trade perishables therefore the ongoing nationwide lockdown needs to be reviewed and replaced with cluster- specified restrictions. Thus to prevent danger of fresh food and nutrition insecurity the suggested measures should be taken into consideration as soon as possible.
(The authors are fresh F&V supply chain executive, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable (P) Ltd, and assistant professor, NIFTEM, Haryana)