Title: Regarding fall in prices of agricultural produce in Kerala and other parts of the country.
(CHIRAYINKIL): Sir, I have been patiently waiting for my turn to speak but you are allowing all other hon. Members. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Your name is just coming.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : I am a person who would not intervene in any matter without a cause but I am losing every day.
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Radhakrishnan, you are a very good Member of Parliament.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : I am raising a very important matter with regard to the State of Kerala and also the country as a whole.
The agreement entered into between the Government of India and the World Trade Organisation has resulted in drastic measures that the prices of coconut and rubber have come down. All the plantation crop growers in Kerala are adversely affected. The prices of tea, cardamom, pepper and other such crops have been drastically reduced. A lot of growers of plantation crops like coconut and rubber are starving. Thousands and thousands of people are thrown out of employment. This is the very grave situation that the State of Kerala is facing nowadays. No step has been taken or initiated by the Central Government in spite of repeated requests. We have made several representations to the Government of India for taking some steps to improve the condition of the farmers but nothing has been done. The Government of India has not taken any action to make some amendments in the agreement entered into with the World Trade Organisation. That has also not been done. So, the position has become very worse. There is no subsidy or no help from the State Government or from the Central Government. The State Government is not helping rescue the farmers and they are not taking any action. The coconut growers are starving. Similarly, the Central Government is also not coming to the rescue of the farmers. The farmers, at last, have now decided to stage a continuous dharna for 101 hours before the Secretariat and in the headquarters of districts. This will be a historic movement. Lakhs of farmers are going to participate in the continuous dharna to be organised on 24th March. I am also going to participate in the dharna. It has become a very important issue.
So, I would request the Central Government and the State Government to take immediate steps in this regard and help the farmers of Kerala.… (Interruptions)
SHRIMATI RENUKA CHOWDHURY : He is also a share holder of UTI. There is a discrimination against my farmers. … (Interruptions)