BENGALURU: A delegation of farmers met CM Basavraj Bommai and urged him to pay heed to their demands. The delegation requested Bommai to use the National Conference of State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers conference being held in Bengaluru to think about the schemes conducive for the development of farmers.
Kurubur Shanthakumar, president, Karnataka State Federation of Farmers’ Associations, said there is an urgent need to implement the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all agricultural produce. He said MSP norms as recommended by the Dr Swaminathan Committee need to be implemented. He requested the government to fix the purchase price of sugarcane on fair terms.
He said farmers will not get justice if the State Government does not change the criteria for assessing rain damage and the yardstick to estimate crop loss. “It is not enough for the CM and ministers to visit the rain-affected areas... they need to ensure that the sufferings of farmers are redressed,” he added.“It is unfair that they are levying GST on agricultural produce of ‘poor farmers’, while granting exemption to gambling, betting, casinos... this is not justified,” he added.