Bhubaneswar: Expressing discontent over distress sale of vegetables and milk by farmers, activists of the BJP Krushak Morcha staged a protest at PMG square here on Saturday. Besides, the Morcha urged the State Government to set up more cold storage units for facilitating storage of produces.
Members of the farmer wing sloganeered against the government alleging it of showing gross indifference towards plight of farming community amid distress sale of vegetables and milk. As part of the protest, the activists spilled milk and threw vegetables on road and later held a rally.
Speaking to mediapersons, Morcha president said the protest is meant to prove the negligence by the government.
“Since the government does not have appropriate rules, good storage facilities, marketing system for sale of produces like vegetables, farmers are bound to sell tomatoes at a mere 25 paise per kg and brinjal and cabbages at Rs 1 per kg. Hence, the financial condition of the farmers is now falling apart. When they bear losses by selling their produces at lower prices they have nowhere to go other than suicide,” he said.
“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 we are bearing huge losses. So we demand that government change their rules and give a hike to the rates,” a milk producer said.
Another protester demanded that Instead of providing substandard pulses and rotten eggs, the state government should include milk in the mid-day meal. By that the production of milk would definitely increase. The minimum sale price of the milk should be increased to Rs 30 per litre, he added.