Pune: Citing deteriorating condition of the agricultural sector, several farmers’ organisations have urged the state govt to implement a farm loan waiver immediately, rather than waiting for the current June 30 deadline.The state govt had previously announced that a farm loan waiver would be finalised by the end of June, based on recommendations from a committee led by Pravin Pardeshi, CEO of the Maharashtra Institute of Transformation (MITRA). Officials are reportedly working on a formula designed to ensure the waiver benefits the maximum number of farmers.However, farmers’ outfits argue that the situation is too precarious to wait. Raju Shetti, founder of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, highlighted the double blow of natural disasters and climate change. “Farmers faced massive losses due to floods last year, and now they are struggling with a severe heatwave and acute water shortages. Depleting groundwater levels are directly impacting crop quality. It is becoming nearly impossible for farmers to survive under these challenging conditions,” Shetti said.Shetti also noted that geopolitical tensions, specifically the ongoing conflict in West Asia, have crippled the export of key agricultural produce. “Producers of mangoes, onions, and grapes have seen their export markets vanish. This has created a glut in the domestic market, causing prices to crash. If the govt does not intervene with an immediate waiver, we fear a rise in farmer suicides across the state,” he said.The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) joined the demand, calling for greater transparency regarding the government’s proposal. Ajit Nawale, a central committee member of AIKS, criticized the lack of clarity. “While the government has given an assurance that a waiver will come by June 30, it has shared no specific details. We demand that the government make the draft plan public so the farming community can understand exactly who will benefit and by how much,” Nawale said.
