Farmers Can Work, Agriculture Companies Exempted From Lockdown: Govt
Mumbai: In a recent development, the government has exempted all agricultural-related actions from a national lockdown currently preventing the coronavirus epidemic, which frees a large part of rural India from the financial curfew.
Agriculture and agriculture-related activities are now included in the list of activities required to be exempt from lockdown, a senior official requested anonymity. “The government has added one more amendment to its original notification for a nationwide notification. Agricultural activities are now exempt because it has been included under essential services now,” an official said.
As per the latest order, sowing as well as harvesting of crops is allowed. Fertilizer and pesticide shops, as well as seed markets, can also function. It is permitted to resume the operations of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees, known as Aaj Tak Mandis. Forwarding food aggregators, commission agents, contractors and bulk buyers – crucial to running the farm-to-for-food supply chain – have also been exempt from lockdown.
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Millions of farmers across the country can operate in a lockdown imposed on the coronavirus epidemic in their country, as stated above. The official said that the states will decide how to implement this order safely.
On Tuesday, March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the completion of all public transport, including flights, trains and interstate buses. The lockdown came into force the following day, with permission to operate only essential services.
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It has seriously endangered agriculture, which directly or indirectly employs almost all Indians. Millions of farmers have been able to sow or harvest their crops and cut off their access to markets, thereby increasing rural incomes.
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