Chikkamagaluru: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha has demanded that the exploitation of farmers at the procurement centres under the support price scheme should be avoided.
Addressing a press conference, Sangha District President Gurusham Thapa said that farmers are being harassed continuously at ragi procurement centres. Farmers are being harassed for delaying procurement. The farmers are tired of waiting and are selling to the middlemen at a lower price. The middlemen are selling the same ragi to the procurement centres and making a profit of Rs. 100 to 200 per quintal.
It has come to light when the Lokayukta arrested an officer who used to collect Rs 30 to 40 per bag while depositing money in the accounts of farmers. In all, 7,000 to 8,000 bags of ragi are coming to the Chikkamagaluru ragi procurement centre and Rs 2.5 lakh is collected from farmers. He urged the Government to correct the injustice being done to the farmers in this regard.
