Bhubaneswar, Mar 4: Today BJP Krushak Morcha activists protested at the PMG square here and demanded compensation to farmers over distress sale of vegetables and milk. It further demanded the State government to build more cold storage units to facilitate storage of produce. The party members shouted aloud anti-slogans against the government holding it responsible for showing gross indifference towards plight of farming community amidst distress sale of vegetables, milk.
As part of protests, the outraged members of the party spilled milk and threw vegetables on road and also organized a rally. Party Krushak Morcha President said to media that the protests are meant to prove the negligence made by the government. He further said that as there are no good storage facilities, marketing system for sale of produce like vegetables, farmers today are hopelessly bound to sell tomatoes at a mere 25 paise per kg, Rs 1 per kg for brinjal and cabbages and as a result, by incurring huge losses, the financial condition of the farmers is worsening day by day which is thus leading them to commit suicide. As for eg, Milk producing farmers spend a lot on their cattle to produce milk but due to sale of the product at lower rates and lack of storage and conservation facilities, huge losses are being bared. Hence, the government should change the rules and give a hike to the rates. The protesters further said that instead of giving substandard pulses, and rotten eggs in schools during mid-day meals, the state government can include milk in the meal. Also new rules should be introduced following which the production of milk would increase to atleast Rs 30 per litre.
