Farmers turn heat on State, demand rollback of prices

Seek issue of crop loans and Rs. 1,600 per quintal of paddy

December 04, 2011 12:16 am | Updated 12:16 am IST - THANJAVUR:

Farmers union members staging a protest against Fertilizers price hike at Head post office in Thanjavur on Friday. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj

Farmers union members staging a protest against Fertilizers price hike at Head post office in Thanjavur on Friday. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj

Members of various farmers' organisations staged a demonstration here protesting against Centre and State government for hike in the prices of fertilizers, milk, and bus fare.

Mohammed Ali, Thanjavur district president of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI (M), led the agitation. Members of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI, and Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam of M.R.Sivasamy, took part in the agitation.

Mr.Mohammed Ali said that fertilizers should be supplied at reasonable rate by the cooperatives to farmers.

Banks should disburse pure crop loans and not jewel loans for agriculture purposes.

He also demanded that a sum of Rs.1, 600 be paid per quintal for paddy, Rs.3,000 for a tonne of sugarcane. Similar agitations were held at Kumbakonam, Pattukottai, and other places in the district.

Farmers participated in the agitations held in Tiruvarur and other parts of the district. Durai Manickam, State general secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI, and Nagai Mali, MLA, led the agitation at Tiruvarur. Agitations were also held at Mannargudi, Kottur, Needamangalam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Kodavasal, and Needamangalam in the district.

Members of the Federation of Farmers Associations staged demonstration in eight centres in the district against price hikes.

Members of the farmers' wings of CPI (M) and the CPI staged demonstration in Nagapattinam town this morning. V.Marimuthu, former CPI (M) MLA, and P.R.Pandian, CPI farmers' wing national council member, led the agitation. Similar agitations were held in Mayiladuthurai; Tirukkuvalai; Vedaranyam; Kilvelur; Tarangambadi; Sirkazhi and Kuthalam.

Farmers of various associations staged a demonstration in front of the Old bus stand here on Friday, protesting against the scarcity of fertilizer.

S. P. Muthukumaran, MLA, who inaugurated the stir, said that the prices of fertilizers had shot up and urged the Central government to initiate action to check the same.

In Perambalur, members of various farmers associations staged a stir in front of the New bus stand, protesting the ‘steep hike' in bus fares and milk price.

They urged the State government to withdraw the upward revision of the prices.

A. Venugopal, district secretary of the Communist Party of India; Chinnadurai, district secretary of the CPI (M) were among those who participated.

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