Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

`Save Agriculture Movement' to hold conference in March

Staff Reporter

Meetings, padayatras and rath yatras to be organised for farmers

Coimbatore: The `Save Agriculture Movement' will hold its first conference in Coimbatore in March, a release from M.R. Sivasamy, State President of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangham said.

A decision to form the movement was taken at the Narayanasamy Naidu birth anniversary memorial conference held at Vayyampalayam on February 6.

The movement would hold district, block and village level meetings besides padayatras and rath yatras.

It would be promoted jointly with the assistance of N.S. Palanisamy of the Tamilaga Vivasayi Sangham, Dr.Sivasamy said.

There was a pertinent need to bring about a vibrant movement to wage a struggle to protect agriculture as was done during the period of Narayanasamy Naidu during 1970-1980s.

Increasing shortage of farm labourers, spiralling costs in farm production, fall in prices of agricultural produce, unreasonable procurement prices, damage caused by wild animals, gusty winds, floods and drought had made life miserable for the farming community.

Measures such as contract farming, genetically engineered or genetically modified cultivation, besides export of vegetables and flowers would not bring any relief to the farming community.

Genetically engineered crops would only affect the fertility of the land, besides polluting the water and environment, he said.

Placing a charter of demands to ensure survival of agriculture, Mr.Sivasamy urged for 100 per cent subsidy for drip irrigation and for farm mechanisation suitable in Indian context, social protection scheme for those in farm employment for five years, permission for toddy tapping, Rs 1,500 as procurement price for sugarcane per tonne, Rs 15 a litre of milk, Rs 1,000 as procurement price for a quintal of maize and paddy, compensation on market value for lands acquired for public use and industrial activities, solution to wild boar menace, curbs on liberalised imports, waiver of loans by nationalised banks and extension of agricultural loans at five per cent interest.

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