Opium: Maharashtra farmers’ strike-it-rich crop

A farmer from Padali village constructed a huge bungalow within 10 year. His rags-to-riches story was not related to cane farming, but to ‘khas khas’ cultivation. His unprecedented success prompted another farmer in the adjacent Sagaon village to purchase a two-wheeler by paying the full amount in ready cash, as he was taking ‘khas khas’ just for two years on a small plot.

Such stories are numerous in Padali and Antri villages of Shirala taluka in Sangli, where locals say that opium farming is prevalent for at least the last 10 years.

Ironically, the farmers who have been exposed cultivating illicit poppy are first-time poppy cultivators. Families and relatives of Sambhaji Gaikwad of Shirala village and Babasaheb Patil of Natoli who were caught with 1,400 kg opium claim that they are first-time cultivators and landed behind bars without achieving the feat of Padali’s successful farmers.

“We have not earned anything from ‘pods’. We would not have been living in this poor condition if we had earned so much money,” Babasaheb father’s Shankar said. In Natoli village, five farmers have been arrested and seven are on the list of absconders.

“The police striking Natoli and Sagaon villages first gave Padali’s many opium farmers ample time to destroy their illegal crop. A few farmers even had to burn down the entire cane farm of five acres to destroy this intercrop,” a youth, who works as a labourer in opium farms, said.

“Opium is being cultivated in this area for many years to produce ‘khas khas’ for domestic use. Its dried pods were proving as excellent fuel for boiling water,” a youth from Shirala, who ‘fortunately’ forsake opium cultivation this year, told DNA.

“The dried opium pods after removing ‘khas khas’ were nothing but trash for farmers. However, everyone took interest when this ‘trash’ started fetching Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 per kg. Although a few were aware about its legal status, the gravity of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, was realised only after the police actions,” this youth said.

It could be seen that farmers had taken opium as intercrop in okra, onion, cane and maze in the farms adjacent to roads. It is difficult to identify opium in okra and onion crops. The direct opium cultivation was done on the plots in interior areas.

However, the villagers claim they are unaware of the traders’ chain. They say that at least eight agents visit them to purchase pods. With many vendors coming to the villages annually for purchasing empty gunny bags, a few of them were also purchasing pods along with gunny bags. The villagers claim that many farmers sold pods to traders in Islampur and Shirala town for better rates, as the agents visiting villages were paying less amount.

DNA met one such trader in Islampur who, according to the villagers, was visiting them frequently on his Luna to collect pods.

“We do trade in soya and other pulses, but never engaged in the business of pods. We earn money honestly,” the 70-year-old said, while showing his brand new moped.