The All India Kisan Sabha took out a march to the Town Railway Station on Wednesday and held a protest meeting against the decision of the Union government to import natural rubber.
Inaugurating the meeting, State president of Kisan Sabha V. Chamunni said the decision to import natural rubber was taken in spite of the fact that the country had reserve stock of 2.4 lakh tonnes of rubber. The decision went against the recommendations of the Rubber Board, he said. It will affect the economy of the State and lakhs of rubber farmers.
He said when the ASEAN agreement was signed, the Union government had assured Kerala that it would not affect cash crops as rubber, coconut and pepper were included in the negative list and would not be imported. But the Union government has gone back on this assurance, he said.
The meeting was addressed by district president of Kisan Sabha E.P. Shankaran, Secretary A.S. Shivadas, P. Sundaran, K. Krishnankutty, and K. Sreedharan.
