Maharashtra: Cops nab 4 for cultivating cannabis in Yavatmal crop farms

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Maharashtra Police authorities have recently uncovered illegal cannabis cultivation spanning approximately 20 acres of farmland in Yavatmal district. More than 10 quintals of this contraband, valued at nearly Rs 30 lakh, have been seized in the operation, officials confirmed on Thursday.

According to a report in PTI, despite the illicit nature of cannabis cultivation on agricultural land, activists have drawn attention to the distress faced by farmers in the region, citing a range of issues. They emphasize the urgency of government intervention to address the pressing concerns of these farmers, as some may resort to illegal activities out of desperation.

The cannabis plants, primarily used for drug production, were discreetly cultivated amid cotton and tur crops across six different farms located in Ghonsara and Bargwadi villages within Mahagaon taluka, the report added.

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Superintendent of Police Pavan Bansod stated that the seized cannabis amounted to nearly 10 to 12 quintals, with an estimated value ranging between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

Manish Jadhav, President of the Yavatmal branch of the farmer organization Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, emphasized the multitude of challenges faced by local farmers. These include issues such as floods, droughts, crop failures, lack of fair market prices, and the resultant surge in farmer suicides. Jadhav highlighted that the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that some farmers have resorted to cannabis cultivation as an alternative source of income, the report stated.

Jadhav went on to assert that, over the past nine months, approximately 200 farmers in Yavatmal had tragically taken their own lives. He pointed fingers at the Union government, blaming its "anti-agrarian" policies for the dire circumstances faced by farmers. Jadhav suggested that deep economic distress might lead some farmers down the unlawful path of cannabis cultivation.

Kishore Tiwari, a prominent farmer activist and former chairman of the state's Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavlambi Mission dedicated to farmers' welfare, clarified that he does not endorse or support the cultivation of cannabis. However, he echoed the call for government intervention to provide relief to agricultural producers grappling with severe hardships.

Tiwari pointed out that the recent discovery of cannabis cultivation in Yavatmal is an unprecedented development in the past four decades.