<p class="title">A severe shortage of labourers due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown has left the cotton growers in north Karnataka districts high and dry.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many farmers in the region have recorded a bumper yield of cotton, a major rabi crop in the northern districts. But non-availability of labourers, price crash and no access to market have prompted the farmers to let the acres of crop rot at the farm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fakeeraiah, a farmer from Kusugal in Hubballi taluk, has registered a bumper crop at his eight acre farm, but is struggling to harvest the crop.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Before lockdown, we harvested cotton twice. But after it was clamped, labourers stopped coming. We depend on outstation labourers. We are ready to arrange for vehicle to bring labourers, but fearing infection, they are not willing to come. My wife and children are plucking cotton now, hoping to salvage something," the farmer rued.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The slump in cotton price has only added to the growers' woes. "Two months back, cotton sold at Rs 4,000 per quintal. Now its is slumped to Rs 2,500. The farmers are suffering back-to-back setbacks, The farmers are left to fend for themselves in this hour of crisis, Siddappa Hebasur, a farmer from Hubballi taluk, lamented.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With the ready-for-harvest crop lying on farms, the lockdown extension will only deliver a death blow on the farmers, small and marginal farmers in particular. First, it was incessant rain and flash floods, last October, that destroyed crops. Now, the pandemic has left the farmers in knee-deep crisis. Spare a thought for the hapless cotton growers.</p>
<p class="title">A severe shortage of labourers due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown has left the cotton growers in north Karnataka districts high and dry.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many farmers in the region have recorded a bumper yield of cotton, a major rabi crop in the northern districts. But non-availability of labourers, price crash and no access to market have prompted the farmers to let the acres of crop rot at the farm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fakeeraiah, a farmer from Kusugal in Hubballi taluk, has registered a bumper crop at his eight acre farm, but is struggling to harvest the crop.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Before lockdown, we harvested cotton twice. But after it was clamped, labourers stopped coming. We depend on outstation labourers. We are ready to arrange for vehicle to bring labourers, but fearing infection, they are not willing to come. My wife and children are plucking cotton now, hoping to salvage something," the farmer rued.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The slump in cotton price has only added to the growers' woes. "Two months back, cotton sold at Rs 4,000 per quintal. Now its is slumped to Rs 2,500. The farmers are suffering back-to-back setbacks, The farmers are left to fend for themselves in this hour of crisis, Siddappa Hebasur, a farmer from Hubballi taluk, lamented.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With the ready-for-harvest crop lying on farms, the lockdown extension will only deliver a death blow on the farmers, small and marginal farmers in particular. First, it was incessant rain and flash floods, last October, that destroyed crops. Now, the pandemic has left the farmers in knee-deep crisis. Spare a thought for the hapless cotton growers.</p>
