A consultative meeting involving representatives of farmers’ associations and ministers was held on Friday at the Chennai Secretariat.
Ministers Anand, Adhav Arjuna, Sengottaiyan, Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Vinoth, Venkataramanan, Gandhiraj, and representatives of farmers’ associations, including P.R. Pandian and Aiya Kannu, along with association office-bearers, took part in it.
Later, speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations Coordination Committee chairman P.R. Pandian said:
Various ministers discussed with the respective department secretaries about waiving agricultural loans. In addition, a demand was made to fix the price of paddy at Rs. 3,500 per quintal and sugarcane at Rs. 4,500 per tonne. We expect the Tamil Nadu government to announce the relevant notifications soon.
Aiya Kannu, President of the National South Indian Rivers Interlinking Farmers Association:
Farmers have been affected because the Karnataka government did not release water for kuruvai cultivation. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu government should file a case seeking compensation of one lakh crore rupees. Many announcements in this agriculture budget have been favorable. They are demanding that paddy be priced at Rs. 3,500 and sugarcane at Rs. 4,500, and that loans be waived. There is hope that announcements on this will come in this legislative assembly session. Also, this is the first time that seven ministers have come together to hear the demands of farmers. He said action should be taken against the Karnataka government for not releasing water despite the Supreme Court order.
Farmers' association office-bearers and others participated in this meeting.