Setting up of Turmeric Board demanded

Nizamabad: Demanding the Centre to set up a Turmeric Board, All India Turmeric Farmers Association under the aegis of Swadeshi Jagarana Manch met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently, said Turmeric Farmers Association State President Kotapati Narsimha Naidu.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday, he recalled that the Prime Minister responded positively when the team urged him to grant minimum support price to turmeric and establish a Turmeric Board. He threatened to launch a stir if the Centre delays the move to set up the Turmeric Board. "We are demanding Rs 15,000 MSP for turmeric but the Central government was not responding despite the farmers agitating for the past four to five years. Over Rs 1.50 to Rs 2 lakh are being spent on turmeric cultivation but produce was not as per expectations.

“Our State's share in turmeric cultivation was around 41 per cent and most of the turmeric was being cultivated in Nizamabad, Adilabad and Karimnagar districts. Especially, Armoor in Nizamabad district was famous for turmeric cultivation. So, the farmers are demanding the government to set up Turmeric Board in Armoor," farmers said in unison. The farmers staged dharnas several times in Delhi but to no avail. Mr Naidu said that the farmers are incurring losses due to lack of remunerative price, and some are resorting to suicides. He further stated that farmers’ delegation will meet Union Minister Sharad Pawar and Anand Sharma in this regard.