KOZHIKODE: The State committee of the Swathantra Karshaka Sangam has put forward a proposal to combat the problems faced by farmers.

President of the Sangam and the former MLA C. Moyinkutty and secretary K. Moideen told mediapersons here on Monday that the proposal included interest-free loans, pension, ban on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, waiver of loans and steps to give fillip to coconut and paddy farming. The association demanded legitimate price for cash crops.

It would hold a dharna in front of collectorates in all districts on September 13 to highlight its proposals.

The association alleged that Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan was adopting anti-farmer attitude. As Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Achuthanandan criticised the Government for farmers' suicides and demanded waiver of farm loans. He placed the blame for the agriculture crisis on the Government's apathy, it alleged.

It pointed out that coconut farmers were facing the worst crisis ever. Steps must be initiated on a war footing to procure raw nuts to provide relief to farmers.

The State Government failed in convincing the Centre to announce a Vidarbha-model package for farmers.

There was no point in including only three districts in any farmer relief package. All the districts faced crisis in the agriculture segment and the entire State ought to be viewed as one unit while envisaging a relief package. They said that suicides by farmers alone ought not be taken as a yardstick in measuring crisis.

The area under paddy crop had shrunk one-third in the last 24 years.

In 1970-1971, paddy was grown in nine lakh hectares. In 2004-2005, the area came down to 2.9 lakh hectares.

The farmers association demanded a rubber board model organisation to conserve paddy cultivation in the State.

While the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased manifold, there was no corresponding improvement in the productivity level of crops. Steps should be taken to encourage organic farming and impose ban on chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

The farmers association wanted the Government to provide assistance to the people suffering from diseases caused by endosulfan.

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