Port Blair, Aug 12: THE Great Nicobar Farmers Association organized a dharna on Friday demanding Implementation of Minimum Support Price for Copra. A massive gathering of farmers from Great Nicobar participated in the dharna. The farmers while speaking on the podium highlighted many issues that they are facing. The most important of all the issue was absence of Minimum Support Price Scheme for procurement of Copra. The farmers highlighted the difficulties they are facing daily because of the low price of Copra and coconut. Great Nicobar Farmers Association mostly consists of ex-servicemen farmers and their family members, who are totally dependent on Coconut and Copra for their survival. At present every farmer from Great Nicobar is facing difficulty because the dehusked coconut price has come down to 8.5 Rs/Nut out of which the farmer only gets Rs. 4/Nut. The dharna was organized in front of Assistant Commissioner Office, Campbell Bay.
The Assistant Commissioner of Campbell Bay who was on leave returned to Campbell Bay and met the farmer leaders. The Assistant Commissioner assured the farmers that the administration in positive on their demands and measures will be chalked out soon for the benefit of the farmers. The Assistant Commissioner also requested the farmers to call of the dharma and give administration some time to fulfil their demands after which the farmer leaders called off the Dharna till Aug 30 stating that if the administration fails to address their demands by Aug 30, the association will launch indefinite hunger strike from Aug 30.
