Canacona farmers' society backs new farm laws, but rues lack of govt aid

Members of the Atmanirbhar Shetkari Society address the media at Canacona.

Photo Credits: Kathy Fernandes

CANACONA

Claiming that farmers in Canacona taluka are fully supportive of the three farm laws passed by the central government, the Atmanirbhar Shetkari Society (ASS) in Canacona said they would act as service providers to farmers but rued the lack of State government support to farmers.

Addressing a news conference, ASS Convenor Amey Puranik said the new farm laws are pro-farmer oriented.

“We support them in totality and our group will try to be service provider to farmers in Canacona,” said Puranik.

“However, we local farmers are disappointed over the lack in government support regarding rates for our produce.”

“Since 2016, we have been knocking on the doors of successive agriculture ministers to give us appropriate rates for our locally produced agri-products, but till date except for assurances we have not got appropriate rates and we are left at the mercy of our State supplies,” said Puranik.

State award-winning farmer, Prasad Velip, claimed that the Horticulture Corporation usually takes their produce at poor rates, compelling them to suffer losses.

“Instead of fixing and providing us a standard average rates for our produce, the rates fluctuates at the discretion of vegetable supplies obtained from outside the State.”

“Our pleas till date have fallen on deaf ears though we have been approaching successive agriculture ministers, including Ramesh Tawadkar, Vijay Sardessai and even our present Dy Chief Minister Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, who holds the agriculture portfolio,” said Velip.

“Canacona produces bhendi, chitki-mitki and chillies in a major way, but the request of farmers in Canacona to standardise the rates throughout the year has not been implemented. As a result, farmers have been suffering losses, when the produce arrives in large amounts from outside the State,” he added.

Another farmer, Gautam Kamat, said they do not have any storage facilities in Canacona.

“Our request to make rooms in the present Market Yard at Chaudi available to us have failed to materialise even though the yard is closed. We don’t have have any place to meet and farmers in Canacona are ignored.”

“We have now given a representation to our Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes, who has fixed an appointment with the Dy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Babu Kavlekar.”

According to the Canacona farmers, there are between 10-16 types of vegetables produced by farmers in the State and these vegetables are also imported by the Horticulture Corporation from outside the State.

“The vegetables produced in the State are of better quality but the cost to produce them is also higher. Hence, the corporation should give better rates as compared to vegetables brought from outside the State,” said Kamat.

Sachin Naik, Ganesh Gaonkar and other farmers were also present at the news conference.