SHILLONG: The Government of India has released Guidelines for farmers and farming sector during the lockdown period due to COVID-19 and informed that Veterinary hospitals, Agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations, ‘Markets’ operated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) or as notified by the State Government, Farming operations by farmers and farm workers in the field, Custom hiring centres (CHC) related to farm machinery, Manufacturing and packaging units of Fertilizers, Pesticides and Seeds and Intra and inter-state movement of harvesting and sowing related machines and other agriculture/ horticulture implements have been exempted, keeping health and hygiene precautions in mind.
For crops approaching maturity, harvesting and handling of these produce including its movement to the market, being time bound has been allowed. However, famers engaged in harvesting of crops are to follow strict safety measures to prevent the spread of disease. These measures include social distancing of 3-4 feet, maintaining personal hygiene by washing of hands with soap, wearing of face mask, protective clothing and cleaning of implements and machinery. While performing drying, threshing, winnowing, cleaning, grading, sorting and packaging operations at the farm level, workers are advised to wear protective face mask during manual crop harvesting to prevent aerosols and dust from entering the respiratory system and maintain a distance of 4 – 5 feet between workers to ensure a safe space to work. When resting, eating, or transporting products, when loading and unloading at collection points- maintain 3-4 feet distance from each other. Collect products in small heaps – spaced 3-4 feet from each other. Employ only 1 or 2 people per heap during field-level processing.
Proper drying should be ensured prior to storage of harvested grains, millets, pulses at farm or home. Do not use or reuse previous seasons jute bags to prevent pest infestation. Use of treated and dried gunnies after soaking in 5% Neem solution is recommended. Adequate personal safety measures is required while loading and transporting of farm produce and while participating in sale at market yards/ auction platforms. Seed producer farmers are permitted to transport to seed companies with supporting documents. Precautions also needs to be followed for direct marketing/ supply of vegetables such as tomato, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, cucumbers and other cucurbits from farms.
In case of any unseasonal rain at harvesting stage in paddy, spraying of 5% salt solution to prevent seed germination is recommended. In horticultural crops at fruiting stage, adequate precautions in handling of sprays, mixing, delivery and washing of sprayers is to be undertaken. For summer pulses in rice fallows, whitefly management with proper safety measures may be taken up to prevent disease incidence.
According to the Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Department the detailed advisory can be seen in the Department website www.megagriculture.
By Our Reporter
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