the goan I network
MARGAO
In a development that has raised many an eyebrow in political circles, BJP leader and tribal leader Ramesh Tawadkar on Thursday announced that he would launch an awareness program, beginning from Canacona to highlight the issues plaguing the farmers and Scheduled Tribes, including the declining price of cashew nuts.
In fact, Tawadkar has decided to take up contentious issues, including low cashew nut rates, Sanjivani sugar factory, tribal issues, including non-implementation of the tribal sub plan, forests rights Act, which are dear to the heart of farmers and tribals.
Addressing the media, the former Sports Minister conceded that the awareness programme may have a bearing on the ensuing Zilla panchayat polls.
He informed that a memorandum was recently submitted to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with a list of issues, including the declining rate of cashew nuts and lack of efforts from any of the agencies, including the marketing federations to fix a price for cashew nuts.
“The price of a kilogram of cashew nuts have come down from Rs 180 to Rs 90-100. A kilogram of organic cashew nuts is commanding a price of Rs 3000 in the international market. Sadly, cashew nuts farmers have been left and dry on the price,” he said.
Tawadkar said the government as well as the marketing agencies should come to the rescue of the beleaguered cashew nuts farmers from the mafia which is controlling the Goan cashew nuts business.
Saying the shutting down of operations of the Sanjivani sugar factory has hit the farmers, Tawadkar wondered how the factory will run in the long run when the number of farmers cultivating sugarcane is on the decline.
He also took exception to the poor utilization of the tribal sub plan for the benefit of the tribal community, saying that the government has utilized only 15 per cent of the tribal sub plan till date.
Tawadkar, who had earlier held the Tribal welfare portfolio, also demanded to know why the cases under the Forest rights Act have not been expedited till date.
“There are several other issues, affecting the farmers and the tribals. I along with people have decided to launch an awareness program beginning from Canacona, which will then be taken to other talukas as well,” he said, while conceding that the programme may have a bearing on the ensuing Zilla Panchayat polls.
Will take a call on pricing of
cashew nuts: Sawant
MARGAO: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the cashew nuts business needs protection in order to provide better rates for the Goan farmer.
During an interaction with the media on the sidelines of the SARAS 2020 program, Sawant said he is studying the matter how to work a mechanism which will benefit the farmers engaged in cashew nuts production.
“Cashew nuts are coming into the state from abroad, including some of the countries from Africa. I have only recently received a memorandum from the farmers. We will take a call on the pricing aspect,” he said.
