The Woes of a Small time Farmer

With more and more opting for off the counter food and having lost interest in gardening, produce of small time farmers has no takers. Be it fruits, vegetables and even herbs rot in their gardens. Hotels and those producing bulk food items,  buy their stuff from wholesale dealers who in turn need a certain quantity and that they get from big time farmers. Landscaped garden designers take over gardens of buildings and grow what is required in their designs.  Individual gardens are hardly seen these days.

I could share my own experience of what happens to that which grows in my garden.

I could say I am a small time farmer not out of choice but my passion for gardening led me to plant a lot around me. I have many fruit trees, and flowering plants, palms and other greens that  proliferate on their own.  I have  curry leaves growing all over the garden. Wholesale dealers need regular supplies and I do not have such a system in my garden.

What grows in my garden therefore goes to waste, after consuming enough and distributing to friends and family.

Jack-fruits have great export potential and exporters need huge quantities. Although I have plenty of jack fruits growing in my garden that quantity is not enough for any exporter to show interest.

I have no other alternative but to dump them in my compost pit year after year.

Turmeric leaves have no takers. A few years ago when cooking was done in homes I do remember the retailers did pick them up but today’s youngsters would rather get ready made stuff and so have no interest in these leaves. They are dumped in the incinerator.

While there is demand for coconut and areca nuts they are sold for a song while wholesalers who collect them from small gardens retain all the profits.  Keeping these trees entails a lot of labour and expense.

While for me it is a hobby there are many small time farmers who depend on their produce for their livelihood. They may soon give up and that would mean less greenery around.