New shcemes in offing to prevent farmers' suicides - Karim

Ranchi, Jul 26 (UNI) Kerala Industry minister E.Karim today said that the LDF government in the state was taking various measures including preparing new schemes to lessen the debt burden of the farmers, setting up of an agricuture commission and a mega food park to prevent the suicides of farmers in the wake of stiff competition arising due to the large quantity import of cheaper Vietnamese spices.

Talking to UNI here on the sidelines of All India general council meet of the Center of Indian Trade Uniouns (CITU), Mr Karim said, '' It is true that due to the large scale import of Vietnamese spices, the prices has come down drastically. This has increased the woes of debt burdened spice growers and due to the the wrong polices of earlier UDF regime, more than five hundred farmers had committed suicide in the state. Our government is taking several measures to improve the situation. '' '' The government is going to set up an agricuture commission, which will suggest measures to lessen the interest burden of the debt laden farmers. We are also setting up a mega food park in the economically backward Vynaar district. Through this we will do value addition to our spices and provide a market for the spice growers.

We are also working on several other new schemes to bail out the farmers, '' he stated.

UNI RAJ SJC AB 1804