'Only Worried About Commissions': Govt Sources Tear Into Punjab's Farm Unions, Point to Groundwater Stress
News 18Farm unions, majorly made up of Arhtiyas, are prioritising their hefty commissions that they earn from the trade of wheat and paddy at APMC mandis than the interests of farmers, government sources have said after talks between the Centre and farmers hit a dead-end. Eventually, it could even make some belts unfit for paddy and wheat cultivation in a few years, further hurting small and marginal farmers,” government sources said. Sources said for a small farmer, the cost of extracting groundwater has increased in the last few years, and therefore, by moving away to crops that were not water-intensive, the input costs would have reduced. “Therefore an ecosystem for cotton, pulses, and maize is not as significant, warranting government support for the farmers as they entered into a new phase of agriculture,” sources said.