Andhra Pradesh   

Minister’s proposal on sale of tamarind triggers row

VIZIANAGARAM: The proposal of Minister for Forests S. Vijayarama Raju to hand over procurement and sale of tamarind to Vana Samrakshana Samitis has triggered a row.

Andhra Pradesh Girijana Sangham, which has been opposing the proposal, has asked tribals to prepare for siege mandal offices at Parvatipuram, Komarada, Jiyyammavalasa, Kurupam, G.L. Puram, Makkuva, Salur, Pachipenta, Mentada and S. Kota on February 12. Sangham president Manangi Ramana and general secretary Gorle Tirupathi Rao have demanded that the government continue the present practice and pay remunerative price of Rs.15 per kg as the VSS have no infrastructure to purchase, stock and sell at a later stage.

They say that the Minister’s proposal is a ploy to close the GCC and help traders indirectly. In this connection, they have recalled the experiences the tribals faced in the collection of beedi leaves. The government, instead of allowing contractors to procure the beedi leaf handed over procurement to VSS and mahila sanghams. Now, the procurement of beedi leaves came to a halt as the VSS and mahila sanghams had no money and infrastructure.

CPI (M) district secretary M. Krishna Murty, while expressing solidarity with the Girijana Sangham, has demanded that the GCC procure stock at Rs. 15 per kg instead of the prevailing rate of Rs. 7 per kg. Last year, the GCC paid Rs. 6 per kg.

According to A. Rama Swamy, Divisional Manager of GCC, the stock expected will be around 25,000 quintals this year. As the percentage of moisture, due to early arrivals is high, the procurement rate fixed is Rs.7 per kg. Some 10,000 quintals of tamarind procured in 2007-08 is still lying in cold storage and there is no response from bidders, he says.

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