Bhikangaon: For the lucky, this lockdown has been a time to hone your culinary, singing and dancing skills and spend quality time with families... but for the not so lucky ones, this time is harsh reality. It means struggle for existence and survival of the fittest.
This tribal farmer falls in the not-at-all lucky category. From Jetgarh near Bhikangaon village, Rumsingh has set an example before other fellow farmers in not only saving his tomato crop, but being able to earn a handsome profit that helped him retain his mortgaged land from a moneylender.
This is a perfect story of being ATMANIRBHAR. Modiji, you can use his example in your speeches to enthrall des wasiyon!
Rumsingh, who is a go-getter and will not let time and tide sweep him away, decided to work in the fields all alone with all precautionary measurers.
Rumsingh owns 1.25-acre land of which .75 acre was mortgaged with a local moneylender. Describing how it all started he said, "After lockdown was imposed, most farmers and workers in rural areas locked themselves and watched their standing crop collapse. Initially, I had decided to follow them, but the Will to go was too strong.
With no labour available, for me the first task was to pluck the entire crop alone and followed by this, I had to sell the crop visiting each and every door-step in the village. Hard work has never been a problem for me as my family, including wife and two kids supported me, but to sell tomato to villagers was a real challenge, as fearing pandemic no one was ready to buy the vegetable.
However, following all precautions, including wearing masks and gloves and sanitizing vegetables in brine and other chemicals helped me win the confidence of customers' trust.
Rumsingh who had a bumper crop this year, said he got grew 15 tonne tomato from his 1.25-acre land. After he failed to get buyers, he decided to sell his crop on his motorcycle. Before lockdown, farmers here normally sold tomato at Rs 40 per kg, but during lockdown, "we have had to negotiate and decided to sell our yield at Rs 10 per kg.
“Even after selling the crop at one-fourth rate, I’ve managed to make Rs 1 lakh profit and that enabled me to regain my land from a moneylender,” Rumsingh said.
He added that a couple of years back, he mortgaged .75 acre land with moneylender for Rs 40,000 and during the lockdown, his demonstrative attitude helped him make a profit. Moreover, the absence of helpers and labourers also helped him save valuable money.
Rumsingh's attitude has become exemplary in the area. Bhikangaon sub-divisional magistrate BS Solanki said Rumsingh presents an example before other farmers who are letting their crop destroy in the absence of a fair price market. Farmers can sell their crop at the local level and even make good profit. All you need is the will to move the mountains! And once again it was proved that Fortune Favours the Brave.
