88% tobacco farmers feel insecure over regulatory environment

Eighty-eight per cent of the tobacco farmers feel that their livelihood is at stake due to “unfriendly” regulatory environment and lack of “livelihood-first” economic policies, said a study on Friday.

According to the study, after tobacco farmers, sugarcane and pulse growers also faced the same issue.

“As much as 70.8 per cent farmers felt that their income has been decreasing, while 75 per cent of street vendors felt that they have been losing their incomes,” the study said.

The study “Livelihood Challenges in 21st Century and Action for Redressal” was conducted by Public Response Against Helplessness and Action for Redressal (PRAHAR), a Delhi based NGO.

The study was conducted among more than 1,000 farmers, farm workers, street vendors and unorganised workers across the country.

It said that 59 per cent farmers feel that the drop in income has been the sharpest during the last five to 10 years, while 50 per cent street vendors feel that the income drop has been sharpest in the last two years.

“Seventy eight per cent of farmers and 93 per cent street vendors say they are feeling stressed. For both farmers and street vendors, unfriendly regulatory environment is emerged as a top reason for rising stress levels and falling incomes,” the study added.

Apart from falling incomes, rising stress is a big cause of concern among farmers, street vendors and unorganised workers as they feel more stressed to retain their incomes.