Scores of sericulture farmers staged a sit-in protest at the Government Silk Cocoon Market here on Tuesday. Organised under the banner of the All-India Struggle Committee Against Duty-Free Silk Import, the farmers condemned the State Government's “meagre” relief package for sericulture farmers.
Terming the package unscientific, committee leader T.M. Venkatesh urged the Union and State governments to adopt a practical approach to bring out sericulture farmers from distress following a crash in cocoon prices. The Government should provide more relief to the farmers, he said.
Kolar and Chickballapur districts account for about 60 per cent of silk cocoon production in the State and the farmers in this region are the worst hit, he said. A delegation of the committee later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner enlisting their demands.
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Owing to the protest, trade at the silk cocoon market here was disrupted for some time. “Market activities resumed after the protest was withdrawn,” Deputy Director of the Sericulture Department S.B. Shankarappa said.