Thursday, October 28, 2010

Vidharbha cotton growers up in arms-Hindustan Times

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Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times
Pandharkawda (Maharashtra), October 28, 2010

The cotton growers of Vidarbha region here are up in arms against the meager guarantee price of raw cotton and decided to stage an indefinite dharna before the CM’s house in Nagpur to press a minimum support price of Rs 4500 per quintal, during the ensuing Assembly session, beginning in Nagpur from December 1.

A large number of cotton growers in the region met here on Tuesday, along with thousands of farm widows and adopted a resolution in a day-long cotton conclave, in this regard. The resolution was initiated by Bharati Pawar (35), a farm widow from Saikheda village in Yavatmal district that was unanimously adopted in the conclave.

Speaking on the occasion on the issue Bharati pointed out that when the private traders are buying the produce at Rs 4, 500 a quintal, the cotton growers of the region are insisting that the government too pays the same amount, otherwise they would intensify agitation against the government.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has announced a guarantee price of Rs 3,000 per quintal and said that the procurement of raw cotton would begin in the region from November 9.

Addressing the gathering, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti and convenor of the cotton conclave, said that meagre guarantee price has triggered widespread discontentment among the farmers. “The procurement rate was not enhanced since 1994 while the cost of agro-inputs, like fertilizers and seeds, were increased drastically and so is the inflation,” he pointed out.

He demanded that the cotton growers should get a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every acre following the recent crop damages due to untimely rains and the government should lift the ban on cotton export. "There is a need to address the issue sensibly. But the government seems to be lacking seriousness," Tiwari alleged and informed that around 700 farmers, mostly cotton growers, have killed themselves in the region this year since January.

Former Shetkari Sanghatana leader Vijay Jawandhia pointed out that when the market rate was over Rs 4,500 per quintal, the union government had announced a meagre guarantee price that would only benefit private traders to exploit the farmers of the region. "We will not sell our produce at Rs 3,000 per quintal. The rate should be not less than Rs 4, 500," he vowed.

"It was also at a time when agrarian crisis is driving distressed farmers of cotton belt to commit suicide despite of two relief packages released by the government," he added. When the meeting was on, one cotton grower, Mahadeo Mahalle (70) of Korpi village in the district committed suicide because of crippling debts and crop failure.

Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown of Vidarbha and parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop’s price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the highest cotton producing state. The Centre and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs 3,000 per quintal as the minimum procurement price fixed two years ago.

Tiwari said that the farmers were not interested about relief packages. "They need a better remunerative price for their produce that is missing on part of the government," he said.

The meagre Rs 3000 as guarantee price only add to the farmers’ distress and adversely affect the agro-economy of the region. Despite heavy demand in international market where cotton is commanding a premium, the farmers of Vidarbha were being deprived by the government. "We have demanded a guarantee price of Rs 4, 500 per quintal of raw cotton in view of the drastic increase in the cost of agro-inputs, like fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. But the farmers got a raw deal," he pointed out and informed that thousands of cotton growers would participate in the proposed indefinite dharna at the CM House on the issue.

The pro-Telangana leader and noted lawyer, Nurup Reddy, who was the chief guest on the occasion stressed for a separate state of Vidarbha that could bail out the crisis-ridden farmers of the region. The open market prices are already ruling over Rs 4,000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly since Pakistan and China have been ruined by floods, the farmers could take advantage of the situation and export it to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce," Reddy said. Demanding that MSP be hiked to Rs 4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too as it depends a lot on cotton, he added.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

पांढरकवडय़ात उद्यापासून पहिली कापूस परिषद

पांढरकवडय़ात उद्यापासून पहिली कापूस परिषद
नागपूर, २४ ऑक्टोबर / प्रतिनिधी
महाराष्ट्रातील ३० लाख शेतकऱ्यांच्या मागण्या पुढे रेटण्यासाठी येत्या २६ ऑक्टोबरला पांढरकवडय़ातील अग्रसेन भवनात दुपारी २ वाजता आयोजित पहिल्या कापूस परिषदेचे उद्घाटन तेलंगणा चळवळीचे प्रमुख नेते व सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाचे ज्येष्ठ अभिवक्ता अ‍ॅड. नुरूप रेड्डी यांच्या हस्ते करण्यात येत आहे. परिषदेच्या अध्यक्षस्थानी शेतकरी संघटनेचे प्रणेते विजय जावंधिया तर प्रमुख पाहुणे म्हणून शेतकरी कामगार परिषदेचे अ‍ॅड. अशोक भुतडा, कृषी उत्पन्न बाजार समितीचे सभापती नरसिंगराव, पांढरकवडय़ाचे माजी नगराध्यक्ष अनिल तिवारी उपस्थित राहतील. कापूस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांना दहा हजार रूपये प्रति एकरी मदत द्या, सीसीआय व नाफेडमार्फत पाच हजार रूपये प्रति क्विंटल दराने कापूस खरेदी करा, कापसाची निर्यात खुली करा, कापसाला हमीभाव ४५०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटल करा या चार मागण्यांवर ठराव करण्यात येणार असून, मागण्यांच्या मंजुरीसाठी येत्या हिवाळी अधिवेशनात आंदोलनाची घोषणा करण्यात येणार आहे. प्रत्येक वर्षी ऑक्टोबर महिन्याच्या दुसऱ्या आठवडय़ात सीसीआय व नाफेडची खरेदी सुरू होते पण, आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारात तेजी असल्यामुळे सीसीआयने आपली खरेदी बंद करावी असा दबाव भारताच्या गिरणी मालकाने टाकला असून यामुळेच सरकारी यंत्रणेद्वारे बाजारभावने होणारी खरेदी टाळली जात असल्यामुळे शेतकऱ्यांचे नुकसान होत आहे. यावर्षी कापसाचे उत्पादन ५० टक्क्यावर आले असून शेतकऱ्यांना सरासरी प्रति एकरी ३० हजार रूपये खर्च आला आहे. अशा परिस्थितीत जोपर्यंत शेतकऱ्यांना ५ हजार ५०० ते ६ हजार रूपये प्रति क्विंटल भाव मिळत नाही तोपर्यंत शेतकऱ्यांचा तोटा भरुन निघणार नाही. अशा भिषण परिस्थितीत सरकारने सीसीआयची खरेदी ५ हजार रूपये भाव देऊन करावी म्हणजे आंतरराष्ट्रीय तेजीचा फायदा शेतकऱ्यांना होऊन त्यांच्या कापसाला व्यापारी ५ हजार ५०० रूपयाहून अधिक भाव देतील, असा विश्वास शेतकरी विधवांनी व्यक्त केला आहे. या परिषदेत बेबी बैस, रेखा गुरनुले, शोभा करतुके, भारती पवार, चंद्रकला मेश्राम, अंजू भुसारी, नंदा भेंडारे, ज्योती जिद्देवार आदी शेतकरी विधवा सहभागी होणार आहेत.
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Maharashtra farmers demand

higher price for cotton


Nagpur, Oct 24 (IANS) Farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions will hold Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) here Oct 26 where they will demand higher prices for cotton, an activist said here Sunday.

Organised by NGO Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), the conference will seek the government's intervention in increasing the prices of raw cotton from the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.3,000 per quintal to Rs.4,500 per quintal.

'Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the biggest cotton producing state,' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS.

Tiwari said the central and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs.3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago.

'But the price is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation. Open market prices are already ruling at over Rs.4,000 a quintal,' he said.

'While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in Pakistan and China have been ruined due to floods, the farmers here could take advantage of the situation and export cotton to the countries like China and Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce,' Tiwari said.

'It has to be essentially understood that if the farmers will not to able to pay back the debt, there will be more farmer suicides,' he added.

Demanding that the MSP be hiked to Rs.4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too.

The conference is expected to be attended by 5,000 widows of farmers and 20,000 farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. Advocate Nurup Reddy, leading activist of Separate Telangana movement and convenor of Telengana Vikas Kendra, will be the chief guest.


All About: National,Maharashtra, Separate Telangana, VJAS

Another vidarbha cotton farmer comitted suicide

630th vidarbha farmers suicides in 2010 as

Maharashtra farmers demand higher price for cotton


Kawatha-24th october 2010

Debt trapped cotton farmer Laxman Sonaba Satghare of village kawatha in kelapur tahsil of Yavatmal district committed suicide just one hour earlier due crop failure
by consuming pesticide .satghare aged 54 is having 7 acare of land with debt of morethan Rs.85,000 is 630th victim of vidarbha agrarian crisis in the year 2010


Adv.Nurup Reddy is chief guest and Farm leader Vijay Janwandhia to open Cotton growers to hold conference at Pandharkawada on Oct 26

Adv.Nurup Reddy is chief guest and Farm leader Vijay Janwandhia to open Cotton growers to hold conference at Pandharkawada on Oct 26

Pandharkawada -Oct 24,2010

Adv.Nurup Reddy leading activist of separate tenlangana movement and convenor of Telengana Vikas Kendra will be chief guest of maharashtra first ‘Kapus Parishad ('cotton Conference') And Renowned Cotton Farmer S Leaders Of The Vidarbha Region Vijay Janwandhia will the president of this function which will discuss and set the agenda for future agitation of cotton farmers who are demanding higher prices for raw cotton and relaxation and incentive in cotton export,Kishore tiwari of Vidarbha Janadolan Samiti who si the convener of cotton growers will meet on October 26 at Pandharkawda for a 'Kapus Parishad'.

In the 'cotton conference', the cotton growers together with farm activists will wok out a strategy on pricing.

The main demands of debt trapped cotton farmers are

1. Relief aid to all wet-drought hit farmers @ Rs.10,00/- per acre.

2. Procurement of raw cotton by centra Govt Agencies Like Cotton Crop. of India –C.C.I. or Nafed.

3.Export incentive and free export of cotton

4.CACP to raise MSP of cotton to @Rs.4500/- as against Rs.3000/-

Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the highest cotton producing state. The Centre and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs 3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago. But farmers pressure groups like Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which is organising the conference, say the price is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation, Samiti President Kishore Tiwari has said in a release today. Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 4,000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly since Pakistan and China have been ruined by floods, the farmers could take advantage of the situation and export it to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce," Tiwari said. Demanding that MSP be hiked to Rs 4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too as it depends a lot on cotton.

In the mean while vidarbha farm widows association has extended support to the cotton growers demands and announced that hundreds of vidarbha farm widows will attend 26th October 'cotton Conference' at pandharkawada and will actively joining the agitation afterward ,Arpana Malikar secretary of vidarbha farm widows association informed in statement today.

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Posted by PLEASE SAVE VIDARBHA FARMER at 10:53 AM

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cotton growers to hold conference at Pandharkawada on Oct 26-2010


Cotton growers to hold conference at Pandharkawada on Oct 26-2010

Five more vidarbha farmers in 48 hours that include the farm widow

Five more vidarbha farmers in 48 hours that include the farm widow

NAGPUR: Oct 21, 2010.

‘It was very sad day for the villagers of Pimpalkhuti in suicide hit district of Yavatmal to take part in funeral of Bebitai Pongade farm widow whose husband Nilkanthrao Pongade died in debt a year before a last was 627th victim of on going agrarian crisis in the yaear 2010 claimed another five more farm suicides in last 48 hours as per reports reaching here and the deceased include

1.Pundpundlik Kakad of Village Mangrul in Akola

2.Santosh Belsare of Viallge Adegoan in Amaravati

3.Sanjay Suryawanshi of Village Wadegoan In Bhandara

4.Ramesh Jadhav of Viallge Marsul in Yavatmal including

5.Bebitai Pomgade of Pimpalkhutti in Yavatmal

According to Kishor Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) which has been documenting farmers' suicide in Vidarbha, attributed the extreme step taken by the farmers to the heavy crop loss and 'failure' of Bt cotton in over six million acres. vidarbha suicide spiral is slow spreading towards paddy growing region of vidarbha from cotton growing west vidarbha as now more suicide s are paying reported from east vidarbha too .Tiwari added.

The cause for the farmers' despondency is the crisis arising out of the delay in cotton procurement and forceful loan recoveries by banks and private micro finance agencies operated illegally as Govt. owned banks failed to provide fresh credit to dying distressed farmers even after intervention of administration, Tiwari alleged.

‘The news of a bumper cotton crop and skyrocketing prices was far different from the ground reality as the Central government was under pressure from textile lobby to bring down the raw cotton prices whereas the high international rates and hence was not opening cotton procurement centers in Vidarbha is adding fuel in the hardshipd of farming community of vidarbha as on an average, a cotton farmer spends about Rs 30,000 per acre and may get a maximum yield of about four quintal that doesn't even puts him in a position to break even and hence the farmers are under perennial economic strain’ Tiwari said

“Cotton farmers are demanding that C.C.I (Coton Croprn. of India) should start procurement at the rate of Rs.5000/- per quintal Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 5000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in China and Pakistan have been ruined by floods, the Indian farmer could take advantage of the situation and export to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce” said Kishore Tiwari of the VJAS

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Seven Vidarbha farmers suicides on the eve of ‘Dasara’ :Cotton Crisis killing Innocent Farmers

Seven Vidarbha farmers suicides on the eve of ‘Dasara’ :

Cotton Crisis killing Innocent Farmers

Nagpur-17th October , 2010

The massive celebration of ‘Dasara festival’ in urban India has over showed the on going agrarian crisis in dying feld of vidarbha where seven more debt trapped farmers killed themselves on th e eve of this mega festival thus taking toll 622 in year 2010

Recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.Waman Awari of Borgoan in Yavatmal

2.Vijay Dandage of Ratnapur in Yavmal

3.Dhyaneshwar Choudhari of Eklara in Yavamal

4.Prabhakar Wakte of Kothari in Akola

5.Ladhu Madavi of Chopamguda in Chandrapur

6.Bhiagirath Pathorkar of Sadarabadi in Amravati

7.Raju Lahorkar of Pimpalkhuata in Washim

The heavy crop losses and failure of Bt.cotton in more than 6 million acres and delay in cotton procurement crisis is the main cause Despondency, despair and deep distress is the main cause of these suicides,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

As in the international market cotton bales are trading aboce Rs.42,000/- mark and domestic market demand of cotton has been all time high but central Govt. under pressure from textile lobby trying to crash the cotton prices that’s they are not opening the procurement centers in vidarbha .cotton farmers are demanding that main procurement agency of Govt. of India ,Cotton corporation of India (C.C.I) should open the procurement centers in all, places in order to stop main exploitation of farmers who are denied the market price of the raw cotton which is more than Rs.5,500/- per quintal,Tiwari said.

Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) has urged union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to direct CACP to consider the recent plea of Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) to raise cotton MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 4200/- per quintal as the maharashtra cotton growers are demanding to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses as

cotton crop has received fresh threats of ‘Lalya fungal attack (Redning of leaves)’ that will also reduce the total yield , Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added.

‘There are only news of bumper cotton crop and sky rocketing prices but the ground reality is totally different cotton farmers have done more than Rs.30,000/- per acre expenses and likely to get not more than 3-4 quintal cotton production maximum ,is not making the break even under big strain of economic losses and debt that’s reason such high numbers of suicides reported in festivals season .it’s high time to address the on going vidarbha agrarian crisis’ Tiwari urged.