Farmers take to streets of Tambuttegama against Budget
December 9, 2015, 8:41 am
By Subashini Samaranayake
Farmers of the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation (ACFF) yesterday staged a protest at Tambuttegama, Anuradhapura against what they termed the government’s discriminatory policies towards the agricultural sector as evident from its 2016 budget proposals.
National Organiser of ACFF Namal Karunaratne said that the agricultural sector and farmers in Sri Lanka would undergo much suffering and hardships due to 2016 budget proposals.
The budget had proposed to give farmers Rs. 25,000 each per hectare instead of the fertiliser subsidy for the two cultivation seasons in the country. Thus, according to new proposals the farmer had to incur an additional expenditure of Rs. 6,000 in each season. The previous government had provided fertiliser at Rs. 350 per 50 kg bag, which cost Rs. 3,500 and the farmers had to spend only Rs. 2,000 extra, Karunaratne pointed out.
Earlier, the subsidy had been given for five acres of land, but this time it had been restricted to 2.5 acres, he added. The guaranteed price of Rs. 50 per kilo of samba rice in the 100-day budget had been reduced to Rs. 41 by the new budget, he said. "We urge the government to restore the fertiliser subsidy and increase the guaranteed price for paddy."
He said the proposal to hand over the underdeveloped state lands to the private sector as an incentive would deny most seed farmers of their arable land.
The ACFF would also hold demonstrations in Ambalantota, Ampara, Mahiyangana, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee, the National Organiser said.
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Farmers island-wide are conducting protests, marches and satyagrahas in all farming districts owing to the Government scrapping the fertilizer subsidy, the All Ceylon Farmers' Federation (ACFF)/All Ceylon Peasants' Union (ACPU) noted.
JVP North Western Provincial Councillor and National Organizer of the ACFF/ACPU, Namal Karunaratne said that the farmers were against the proposal to give them financial assistance instead of the fertiliser issued on a subsidised basis. They also ask that the government open a pensions fund for farmers.
December 9, 2015, 8:41 am
By Subashini Samaranayake
Farmers of the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation (ACFF) yesterday staged a protest at Tambuttegama, Anuradhapura against what they termed the government’s discriminatory policies towards the agricultural sector as evident from its 2016 budget proposals.
National Organiser of ACFF Namal Karunaratne said that the agricultural sector and farmers in Sri Lanka would undergo much suffering and hardships due to 2016 budget proposals.
The budget had proposed to give farmers Rs. 25,000 each per hectare instead of the fertiliser subsidy for the two cultivation seasons in the country. Thus, according to new proposals the farmer had to incur an additional expenditure of Rs. 6,000 in each season. The previous government had provided fertiliser at Rs. 350 per 50 kg bag, which cost Rs. 3,500 and the farmers had to spend only Rs. 2,000 extra, Karunaratne pointed out.
Earlier, the subsidy had been given for five acres of land, but this time it had been restricted to 2.5 acres, he added. The guaranteed price of Rs. 50 per kilo of samba rice in the 100-day budget had been reduced to Rs. 41 by the new budget, he said. "We urge the government to restore the fertiliser subsidy and increase the guaranteed price for paddy."
He said the proposal to hand over the underdeveloped state lands to the private sector as an incentive would deny most seed farmers of their arable land.
The ACFF would also hold demonstrations in Ambalantota, Ampara, Mahiyangana, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee, the National Organiser said.
=================
Farmers island-wide are conducting protests, marches and satyagrahas in all farming districts owing to the Government scrapping the fertilizer subsidy, the All Ceylon Farmers' Federation (ACFF)/All Ceylon Peasants' Union (ACPU) noted.
JVP North Western Provincial Councillor and National Organizer of the ACFF/ACPU, Namal Karunaratne said that the farmers were against the proposal to give them financial assistance instead of the fertiliser issued on a subsidised basis. They also ask that the government open a pensions fund for farmers.
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