People's Democracy

PULSE GROWERS MEET PM

Curbs Demanded on Pulse, Sugar Imports

DEMANDING remunerative prices for pulses and seeking curbs on import of pulses as well as sugar, a delegation of farmers from Karnataka met the prime minister on February 7, 2014. The delegation was accompanied by Basudeb Acharia, leader of the CPI(M) group in Lok Sabha, and Vijoo Krishnan, joint secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). Maruti Manpade (president, Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha), Basavaraj Ingin (president, Karnataka State Red Gram Growers’ Association) and Moula Mulla (leader of the AIKS, 4 Windsor Place) too were part of the delegation.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the prime minister, specifically on the problems of pulse growers and sugarcane farmers. The delegation also raised the issue of sugarcane pricing and arrears across the country.

Basudeb Acharia referred to the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture for an increase in the minimum support prices (MSPs) to the level where they are truly remunerative. He drew attention to the problem of farmers who grow pulses under semi-arid conditions, facing great risks, and how duty free imports and dumping were harming these farmers. The delegation emphasised that while the MSPs announced for various agricultural products were most often even below their respective costs of cultivation, the farmers did not benefit from even these MSPs due to the collapse or absence of the procurement facilities. It also pointed out that only a few traders, importers and hoarders were benefiting at the expense of farmers as well as consumers, and how farmers are facing distress and suicides are also taking place due to the faulty policies of the government. The delegation sought immediate steps to protect the farmers. The prime minister assured the delegation that he will look into the issues and take appropriate action.

The memorandum submitted to the prime minister pointed out that, in the guise of meeting the deficit in the production of pulses, the government has been encouraging the import of various kinds of pulses; the latter include pulses of substandard quality and are used for consumption of pigs in other countries. The CAG report on the import of pulses prior to 2011-12 found that the government had sustained a loss of Rs 1200 crore and that the imported pulses were not marketable as they were substandard. The report noted that this stock was then sold to a big operator named Pyarelal at Rs 10 per kg, pointing to the possibility of circulation of adulterated pulses in the market for purchase by unsuspecting consumers.

The memorandum demanded the following remedial measures:

1) Discontinuation of 15 percent incentive for import of pulses.

2) Imposition of import duties or anti-dumping duty or countervailing duty on import of pulses to a minimum of at least 30 percent.

3) Imposition of 40 percent duty on import of sugar and implementation of the payment of state advised price (SAP) of Rs 2,500 per tonne and an additional Rs 150 per tonne as incentive, as was announced by the Karnataka government. Declaration of Rs 3,500 per tonne as sugarcane price and clearance of arrears.

4) Announcement and implementation of an incentive of Rs 1,800 per quintal for Bengal gram in addition to the declared MSP.

The AIKS has planned a massive protest march to parliament on February 18 against the rising input costs and the unremunerative minimum support prices as well as on the issues raised with the prime minister. The AIKS has resolved to take forward the struggle for remunerative prices and against the anti-farmer policies that are being deliberately foisted on the country in order to facilitate corporate profiteering.