Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, May 31: A farmer from Sigandhur Alur in Shivamogga district, Alur Ravi, son of Manja Naik, went on slicing fully grown watermelon crop in his land to express his anger at the lack of demand for the fruit.

Ravi had worked hard to raise watermelons in a five-acre plot. He had tried to sell their crop but because of lockdown there was no demand for his fruits. As the fruits began to rot, he went on slicing the fruits and dispersing them all over the field.

In the recent years, more and more farmers have been raising watermelon as a viable crop. During this year, watermelon has been grown in Byndoor taluk in about 250 acres of land. In addition to sluggish markets, the cyclone has also inflicted huge losses to farmers. The farmers who have lost heavily expect the government to meet their losses as lockdown is the major cause for their losses.

Pundareeka Madhyasta, a watermelon grow from Byndoor Kirimanjeshwar, has requested the government come forward to the rescue of watermelon growers. A farmer, Manja Naik, said that the loan raised for cultivating watermelons has to be repaid and the family is clueless how to remit the loan to the bank.