Farming trouble

Luckily on this day the rain had stood off. Roads were clean and there was a new look to everything. The ride to the work place was pleasant.

But unluckily the weather gods have not been kind to our farmers. Their hopes lay shattered by the unexpected rains. A good crop was expected this time round. The price of rice had shot up for the past few months. We barely produce 20 percent of our requirement in the state as it is. And we relay heavily on imports from other states to fill up the gap.

Those states are trying to show their muscle, by demanding new terms, and better prices.

Our health Minister is currently advocating a change in diet for the entire population. Start eating meat and fish more, he says. They are plenty and within reach, and healthy. It naturally caused a great uproar in the media. The general public seems amused. They are a little apprehensive too. If their diet is to be determined by outside elements…… well what is happening to the world.

The blame lies on them as well. They left agriculture in search of a few fast bucks abroad. It’s true that these bucks are the real backbone of our economy and that they brought new prosperity to the land. The sad part is, no one really cared about what was happening in the farming sector. Most of the work force left in search of new pastures and the farmers sold their land for unimaginable prices to the land mafia as bucks flowed in to the market because of the influx of money from abroad.

It is our national character to build houses on single plots and live like lords of a manor. We dislike living in flats and multi storied apartment complexes. As money flowed in, farms were converted into house plots, circumventing all regulations. The government also thought of not interfering. Rice production dwindled.

Now the other states are teaching us a lesson on how to manage the economy and the needs of the people.

We have no one else to blame but us! We now need a Fukuoka.