Protesting potato growers throw crop on road in Khanna

kds1980 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-Feb-2009, 19:03 PM

India: Protesting potato growers throw crop on road in Khanna

Protesting potato growers throw crop on road in Khanna

Perturbed over the "apathetic" attitude of Punjab government towards woes of state potato growers, farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) threw about 30 quintals of potato crop on road in Khanna on Tuesday.

Seeking intervention of Punjab government on this issue, farmers demanded Rs. 200 per quintal as subsidy to be given by state government to potato farmers in order to bring farmers out of the present crisis situation.

"Like Uttar Pradesh government has extended financial assistance to its potato growers, Punjab government should also come forward and help its potato farmers, who are facing huge losses due to drop in potato prices because of bumper crop, by offering them Rs. 200 per quintal as subsidy," BKU (Rajewal), President, Balbir Singh said on this occasion.

He further said that UP government had fixed Rs. 300 per quintal as minimum price for potato crop and out of which Rs. 100 per quintal would be borne by state government.

Rajwal lamented that potato growers during this season were not even able to recover their cost of production because of potato prices going downwards due to glut.

It may be mentioned here that in 2001 also, state potato growers destroyed their crop by throwing almost 30,000 quintals of potato alongside roads in view of oversupply of crop.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/hard-talk/24029-protesting-potato-growers-throw-crop-road.html

This year, potato prices in state had crashed to almost seven years low at Rs. 1.5 to Rs. 2 per kg because of the bumper production achieved by Punjab potato growers this year.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24029

Farmers had even demanded minimum sales price of crop and subsidy on the transportation of potatoes in domestic markets to minimize the impact of declining prices.

Punjab, which has 4 per cent share in country's total potato production, this year, brought 80,000 hectares of land under potato cultivation and is anticipating total potato output of 16-17 lakh metric tonne.