Farmers call for a hand up, not handouts By Nasik Swami: Pushed to their limits by an unrelenting drought that is taking the heaviest toll on their mental well-being, farmers across the district are expressing deep frustration. Many farmers have dismissed the government’s $55 million relief package as woefully inadequate, labelling it “a drop in the ocean.” In the 2022–23 fiscal year, the state’s primary industries—comprising grains, livestock, horticulture, wine, seafood, forestry, and dairy—generated $18.5 billion in revenue, marking a seven percent rise from the previous year. According to the government, this sector was responsible for 51 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports and directly employed more than 76,000 people. Local farmers say the ongoing dry conditions are not only affecting their livelihoods but also having a huge impact on their mental health—with many now suffering in silence. Burdened by the soaring costs of livestock feed, high-interest loans, dwindling […]