KK Das Karan Nagar, KOLLAM : Centre’s seeks to resolve nationwide crisis faced by the agriculture sector by distancing farmers from what they are doing, namely farming, said General Secretary to All India Kissan Sabha and COI(M)Politburo member Hanan Mollah. Already large number of people are moving out of this sector owing to mounting losses, he said. Hanan Mollah was speaking to Deshabhimani on the sidelines of Farmers’ State Meeting held in Kollam.
With regard to agriculture, the Centre’s interests are focused primarily on corporate profits. Maximise imports and discourage exports is its mantra. The situation has worsened with inking of RCPE agreement. The Left is on the forefront opposing Centre’s pro-corporate policy. The number of landless farmers in the country is on the rise. Subsidies are being brought to an end. Big time landlords are the ones profiting from land use now. They are owners to plantations and vast expanses of farms.
High costs involved in farming contrasted by low price for the produce is a major crisis faced by the farming sector. Agriculture loans that come at low interest rates are practically available only to large scale farmers. This tangles ordinary farmers into funds from cut-throat moneylenders.
The Centre should become willing to restrict imports. It should also agree to provide the support price suggested by Swaminathan Commission. The Commission had recommended paying a farmer the costs incurred plus 50% on profit. If govt agrees to stock farm produce, the agricultural sector will grow.
In the case of natural disaster relief, several deserving individuals in the farming sector have been excluded from government’s compensation list. The relief has majorly benefitted just the super-big farm owners.
Farmers should be paid a minimal of Rs 5000 in pension for their toil. Incidentally, the govt that writes off multi crores in corporate dues, is also the one plunging farmers into deeper debt. The agriculture policy adopted by Kerala govt stands out as exception in the country and should be followed as role model by other States, Hanan Mullah said in his interview.
