Tamilzhaga Sangam condemns Centre's decision to import wheat

Chennai, July 21 (UNI) The Farmers and Toilers Party (Tamilzhaga Vivasayeegal Sangam) has strongly condemned the Centre's decision to import wheat from Australia, which contained more moisture and dust and is also more expensive.

Party President K Chellamuthu told newsperons here yesterday that the Centre's decision was totally against the interest of domestic wheat farmers. Indian farmers produced 7.48 crore tonne of wheat this year, as agaisnt last year's production of 6.93 crore tonne. At this juncture, the import of wheat was highly unwarranted, he added.

Mr Chellamuthu supported the entry of the Reliance group into agricultural activities. The farmers in all parts of the country were jubilant over this, as they suffered a lot in the past several years in the hands of middlemen and brokers, he said.

As a result the farmers were getting better price for their agricultural products, he added.

While thanking the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for writing off the farm loans to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore, he wanted the government to write off all the bond loans of farmers.

He thanked Mr Karunanidhi for extending the sugar cane crushing period for a month in all the sugar plants in the state and demanded the government to instruct the factories concerned to collect the unregistered canes also for crushing.

He urged the Centre to relax the existing norms in the crop insurance scheme.

To draw the Centre's attention in this regard the party would stage a demonstration before the Lok Sabha with the support of the Bharat Kissan Union, during the next session of the Parliament, he added.

He also wanted the Centre to expedite the proposed nationalisation and linking of rivers, to solve the inter-state river disputes.

UNI