Just two days ago I happened to see a man pushing a cart
full of tomatoes, calling out “Rs 20 for 2
kg ”. In a hot afternoon, he was sweating and struggling
to push the loaded cart forward. He looked as if he hadn’t eaten since morning.
Dressed in shabby clothes, torn in many places, all dirty
and feet covered with mud, he would gain more sympathy than even a beggar on
the street. His chappals too were broken and he was struggling to drag them
along.
He was stopped by some buyers who demanded him give
two-and-a-half kg for Rs 20. The other day when I bought 250gm of tomato, I got
five big ones. Going by that 2kg would have 40 tomatoes. He was getting just 50
paise per tomato! Also 40 tomatoes would mean at least 3 plants which would
have taken nurturing for months to be full grown and fruit bearing.
I hope many like me would wonder how farmers live
considering they have to live with this money till they harvest the next time.
Plants won’t give ripe fruits in a day or two. It needs toiling for months that
too with favourable weather and rain.
People who bargain with them may have their reasons… cost of
living, children’s education, ever rising prices… But I request you to spare a
thought for the farming community to whom we should be ever grateful. Without
them we wouldn’t be eating. Many of us wouldn’t dare live a single day of their
lives. Those who know that parting an extra Rs 5 wouldn’t affect your life,
please don’t bargain with farmers for their produce. You will be ignoring their
sweat and depriving them of a meal, may be.
1 comment:
Not many may think like you do here. But, I fully agree with you. Yes, on such occasions, I think we shouldn't haggle for a rupee or two or even five rupees. On many occasions I have done the same thing. Very often people who haggle for Rs 5 wouldn't carelessly blowing up Rs 50 or Rs 500 on something else.
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