Kerala - Alappuzha   

Farmers told to unite against multinationals

Staff Reporter

UPA Government's policies against farmers' interest, says Vandana Siva

ALAPPUZHA: Noted environmentalist Vandana Siva has called upon the farmers to organise themselves to prevent the trans-national companies from establishing their hegemony in agricultural sector.

Inaugurating a meeting of organic farmers in Kuttanad, organised by the Gandhi Smaraka Seva Kendram, Ms. Siva said the visit of U.S. president George Bush to the country last March was aimed to pressurise the Government of India to allow the entry of multinationals into the agricultural sector. She said the policies of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre were against the interests of farmers and the nation.

The agreements being signed by the Government with various international organisations such as the World Trade Organisation would harm the interests of farmers, opined Ms. Siva. She demanded that the farmers should collectively resist such acts of the Government. The free trade agreements signed by the Government had actually lead to a fall in prices of agricultural commodities in the country, Ms. Siva said.

She remarked that the suicide of farmers in the state was because of the wrong policies of the state government in agricultural sector. The Left Democratic Government that assumed the power recently should correct the flaws in the agricultural policies to save farmers, she said.

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Farmers told to unite against multinationals

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