Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Farmers demand fresh loans for raising kuruvai crop

Special Correspondent

Also seek reimbursement of settled loan amount

CUDDALORE: Farmers of delta regions such as Chidambaram and Kattumannarkoil staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Sub Collector at Chidambaram near here on Wednesday, demanding fresh cooperative loans for raising the kuruvai crop.

They also sought diesel at subsidised price to operate agricultural implements. The farmers had forwarded a nine-point charter of demands to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

The agitation was spearheaded by V. Kannan, president of the Kollidam-Keelanai Paasana Vivasayigal Sangham; K. Vijayakumar and K.V.K. Dhandapani, president and joint secretary of the Sethiathope Anaicut Paasana Vivasayigal Sangham; P. Ravindran, president of the Paasimuthan Odai Paasana Vivasayigal Sangham; M.P. Devarajan, district organiser of Uzhavar Munnani and K. Venkatraman of the Tamilaga Uzhavar Munnani.

Demand reiterated

They thanked Mr. Karunanidhi for waiving the farm loans obtained from cooperative societies. However, they reiterated their demand that the Tamil Nadu Government extend the same concession to farmers who got loans from land development banks, commercial banks and nationalised banks.

In case of those farmers who had already settled their loans (prior to the waiver announcement), the Government should arrange for the reimbursement of the same, along with disbursement of fresh loans.

The farmers urged the Government to bring down the interest on farm loans to 4 per cent as was prevalent in Karnataka. They called upon the Government to write off the land tax for 2005-2006 and roll back the tax to the level prior to 2003.

They said there was acute shortage of phosphatic fertilizers for the past few months. The non-availability would hamper farming activities at a time when farmers were making preparations in anticipation of the release of water from the Mettur dam on June 12.

Due to a lack of rock phosphate, the SPIC and Madras Fertilizers were not producing di-ammonium phosphate, and this had severely affected the fertilizer markets. The farmers urged the Government to extend adequate subsidy to those companies to resume normal production.

They also voiced the apprehension that the supply of rice at Rs. 2 a kg through fair price shops would have its repercussions in the open market demand, leading to fall in offtake. To protect them from the sudden downfall in the open market prices of rice, they appealed to the Government to increase the procurement price of paddy to Rs. 1,000 a quintal.

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Farmers demand fresh loans for raising kuruvai crop

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