The Last Straw

“The prices in the market influence our production. We try to sell only if the prices are high. But the prices for the cultivation are going down, so that the young generation does not intend to work in cultivation work anymore. The youth go to Chennai. There they can earn 10,000 Indian rupees per month, investing much less in work and buying things from the market. We are engaging four, five, six family members in the paddy. If one person goes outside for work, he will earn the same money much more easily and can look after the family in a reliable manner. With agriculture, there is not even a guarantee that you can fulfill the family needs and cover family expenditures.”

31 year-old farmer, Lower Laopani, Assam, India

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