KARNATAKA

Sericulture Farmers Stage Militant Demonstration 

SERICULTURE and silk industry is an important employment generating sector of the nation. More than 7 million people are earning their living as sericulturists, reelers, weavers, workers, and from other related works. An expansion of this industry, in which India ranks second in the world, would also have created jobs for many more people, as its prospects are very bright.

But the union government has shirked its responsibility of developing this sector. Through its import policy in the liberalisation-globalisation regime, it has provided for an unhindered import of raw silk and silk products from abroad. As a result, according to the government’s own statistics, such imports went up to more than 6,800 metric tonnes by March 2002 from around 2300 metric tonnes in 1996. This is apart from the reported smuggling of more than 4,000 metric tonnes of raw silk into the nation every year. There are also reports that Nepal and Bangladesh import more raw silk than what they need and then push it into India without paying any excise duty.

As a result, the amount of raw silk entering our nation, officially and unofficially, is to the tune of around 75 per cent of our indigenous production.

The consequence is that the price of cocoons produced by Indian peasants has crashed to Rs 50 to 60 per kg from the earlier price of Rs 150 to 160. Many peasants and others engaged in the industry have lost their livelihood, and are shifting away from sericulture and silk industry.

In this precarious situation of the sericulture sector, thousands of peasants and others from Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and Karnataka staged a huge protest demonstration on January 10, in front of the Central Silk Board (CSB) office at Bangalore. The demonstration, held under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and Sericulture Farmers Struggle Committee, was preceded by a 10,000 strong procession from the Hossur Road check-post. The demonstrators asked the CSB and union government to come to the rescue of farmers by meeting the demands raised by protestors.

This protest demonstration came after a series of conventions at various places in Karnataka and other states, with the slogan of “Save Sericulture, Save The Peasants.” These conventions served the purpose of highlighting the sericulture farmers’ demands and popularise their campaign programme.

Though the demonstration was organised on January 10, it was scheduled to be held on December 10. It was postponed due to the murder of former minister H Nagappa after he was taken hostage by forest brigand Veerappan.

Addressing the meeting organised on the occasion, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIKS president S Ramachandran Pillai urged the union government to impose a 100 per cent excise duty on imported raw silk and to declare a minimum support price of Rs 150 per kg for cocoons to save the peasants engaged in sericulture. Karnataka’s former sericulture ministers Varade Gowda and D Nagarajaiah, former MP C Narayanaswamy, ex-MLAs Chandranna and G V Sriram Reddy, AIKS general secretary K Varadha Rajan, Lugumaiah (Tamilnadu), Vishveshvara Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), G C Bayya Reddy (Karnataks Pranta Raiyat Sangham general secretary) and others also addressed the demonstrators.

CPI(M) state secretary G N Nagaraj, KPRS president Maruthi Manpade, former MLA Suram Ramaiah, and other leaders were present on the dias. Progressive sericulturist Nanjappa Reddy presided over the public meeting.

The memorandum addressed to the state and union governments consisted of vital demands of sericulture farmers and others engaged in the industry. These were: (1) A minimum support price of Rs 150 per kg must be declared. (2) Import of raw silk must be regulated. Only the necessary quantity must be imported through a government agency and supplied directly to weavers. (3) Anti-dumping orders regarding import of raw silk from China must be strictly implemented. (4) The present 34 per cent duty on imported raw silk must be increased to 100 per cent. (5) International borders must be strictly guarded and enforcement department strengthened to curb the smuggling of raw silk. (6) Necessary funds must be allocated for research and development of high quantity seedlings, silkworm eggs and other related aspects. Its benefits must be extended to the peasants. (7) Subsidies for rearing silkworms, drip irrigation, building sheds for rearing and other sericulture-related works must be increased. (8) State governments must formulate special projects for increasing the productivity and production in sericulture and silk industry. The union government must provide special assistance and necessary funds for these projects.