Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, on Tuesday launched a three-day hunger strike at Mankombu in Kuttanad demanding immediate measures to resolve the problems faced by paddy farmers.
Mr. Kodikunnil said that he was trying to invite the attention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues towards the issues plaguing the paddy farm sector. Mr. Vijayan and other Ministers are expected to visit Kuttanad next month as part of Navakerala Sadas.
The Mavelikara MP said the government should do away with the practice of paying paddy procurement prices to farmers from banks under the paddy receipt sheet (PRS) loan scheme. Instead, the government should pay the price directly to the farmers’ bank account within 15 days of paddy procurement. Mr. Suresh urged the government to provide financial aid to the families of two paddy farmers in the region who recently committed suicide.
Other demands
He demanded that the government increase the handling charges and clear pending dues to farmers on pumping subsidies, reconstruction of outer bunds and so on.
Mr. Suresh said that agents of private mills were demanding huge discounts, in some cases up to 15 kg per quintal of paddy, citing moisture content in the harvested grain. The exploitation of farmers at the hands of agents should end, he said.
The protest will end on November 30.
