Farmers under the auspices of the Kuttanad Vikasana Samithy will observe a farm hartal in Kuttanad on Monday, by boycotting farm works. A dharna will be held in front of the rice research station at Monkombu in protest against the official apathy to paddy-procurement problems.
Samithy executive director Father Thomas Peelianikkal said about 8,000 tonnes of paddy had been lying at various ‘padasekharams’ in Nedumudi, Champakkulam, Thakazhy, and Ambalappuzha for over two weeks. There had been a dispute over the moisture content in the paddy.
Millers demand extra
Mr. Peelianikkal said the millers were demanding 20 kg extra per 100 kg of paddy being procured, alleging higher moisture content and excess chaff in the paddy.
The farmers would incur a loss of about ₹9,000 per acre if they had to give extra quantity. Supplyco, which procures paddy through millers, had not made any intervention in the matter, with the result that the paddy remained stacked in the fields. The farmers were under stress as any unseasonal rain could harm the entire lot of stacked paddy.
The farms had faced drought, salt water incursion, pest attack, and other problems arising out of climate change. The government which had proclaimed a pro-farmer stand should bear the extra cost, Mr. Peelianikkal said.
Exploitation by agents
The millers were collecting paddy through agents who were bent on exploiting the farmers, he said.
The issue should be dealt with urgently. The farmers demand that government should introduce post-harvest insurance, he said.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has called upon Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman to intervene in the matter. Hundreds of tonnes of paddy harvested 20 days ago were on the verge of getting damaged in farm fields in Kuttanad, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Vaikkom, he said. The government was keeping aloof from the issue which had taken a serious turn, he said in a statement.
