Fund to stem price fluctuation demanded

The government should invest Rs 2,000 crore in a Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) so that a permanent solution is found for the fluctuating prices of arecanut and other plantation crops.

This fund could be released as a package to farmers who are suffering due to the adverse effects of WTO, said D V Sadananda Gowda, Mangalore MP, here on Tuesday.

Presiding over the launching ceremony of CAMPCO's value added products at its chocolate factory, he felt that the arecanut growers should form a strong lobby which can bring pressure on the government and pointed out that the granite lobby which formed only 0.01 per cent of the population or the liquor lobby and iron ore lobby which are minute in numbers were able to do so.

He gave a call to areca growers to launch a protest so that they received the remaining Rs six crore of the Rs 10 crore subsidy sanctioned by the government.

N Vinay Hegde, president, Nitte Education Trust, who released the Fun Tan bitter chocolate to the market stressed the need for more research on arecanut such as on how to get the best yield. He also urged arecanut growers to be united in the struggle against the import or smuggling of arecanut.

Kurunji Venkatramana Gowda, founder president, Academy of Liberal Education Sullia, gave his personal example on what an arecanut grower can achieve if he has the vision and puts in hard work. He felt that rubber cultivation should be given more importance.

Peraje Srinivas Rao, former president, Dakshina Kannada District Co-operative Federation, and senior co-operator, who released arecanut 'Fadcha' ( small packets of arecanut pieces) to the market, stressed the need for co-operatives to function in a democratic way.