Dehradun, Jun 6 (PTI) Hariprasad Sharma has doubled his profits growing lychees in Uttarakhand, but the 65-year-old farmer faces an unexpected problem — pesticides protecting his fruit are killing the bees that pollinate his trees.

His dilemma reflects broader challenges confronting Indian agriculture, as farmers across Uttarakhand appealed to the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday for help, with everything from marauding monkeys to inadequate market access.

“I want better pesticides which do not kill my bees. I wish researchers can help me find a solution,” Sharma told Chouhan during a government outreach programme in Pawwala Soda village.

The interaction was part of a 15-day nationwide, Viksit Krishi Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to engage directly with farmers, as the country seeks to boost agricultural productivity to feed its 1.4 billion people.

Sharma’s lychee orchard produces 100 quintals annually, generating profits of Rs 4,00,000 on a production cost of Rs 2,00,000, thanks to government subsidies for irrigation and pruning equipment.

But rising land prices and urban development threaten traditional farming areas, he said.

“Land has become costly here and people are cutting mango and lychee orchards. This needs to be stopped to produce mango and lychee for future generations,” Sharma added.

The concerns echo those of farmers across India, where rapid economic growth has driven up land prices and encouraged the conversion of agricultural plots for housing and industrial projects.

Ashish Rajvanshi represents a new generation of Indian farmers, pivoting toward organic production to capture premium markets. His family has grown Dehraduni Basmati rice for generations, but since 2020, it has focused on organic certification and branding.

Government schemes provided free weighing machines, vacuum wrapping equipment and retail store subsidies, helping establish his “North India” organic rice brand across 30 acres of owned and contract farmland.

“We are doing well here, but to scale it further, we need better market access and participation in trade fairs,” said Rajvanshi, whose experience highlights the gap between small-scale success and commercial scaling in India’s fragmented agricultural sector.

Perhaps the most pressing concern raised by farmers was human-wildlife conflict, an issue that rarely features in policy discussions but significantly impacts rural livelihoods.

Subhash Chandra Kotari, who diversified into vermicompost production, alongside cattle rearing, said many farmers near forest areas are abandoning agriculture due to wild animal attacks on crops.

“Small farmers cannot afford to install solar or wire fencing, the government must support,” he said.

The problem has become so severe that some farmer collectives now select crops based on what animals won’t eat. The 600-member Raipur Krishi Utpadak Cooperative grows vegetables, spices and herbs, specifically because “monkeys do not harm” them, according to its Chairman Ashish Vyas.

Farmers also complained about complex procedures for accessing government benefits, despite the government spending crores annually on agricultural subsidies and support schemes.

“We want schemes to reach directly to farmers. Now, there is no full awareness. Paperwork is too much. There should be single window clearance,” said Vyas.

Farmers expressed worry about farmland depletion as the next generation shows little interest in continuing family agricultural traditions potentially threatening long-term food security in the world’s most populous nation.

Chouhan assured farmers their concerns would be addressed as part of the government campaign, which involves 75 teams visiting agricultural areas across Uttarakhand state. The programme, running until June 12, has already covered seven other states. PTI LUX BAL BAL