Farmers protest against cheap edible oil import

Mangalore Today News Network 2009-11-12 21:30:00

Mangalore, Nov 23: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha staged a protest at the main entrance of the New Mangalore Port on Nov 23, Monday against the duty-free import of edible oils. Farmer leaders from Tamil Nadu and Kerala also participated in the protest. Hundreds of farmers from all over Karnataka were also present. 

 

P Ravindranathan, the state president of the Kerala Coconut Farmers’ Association, informed press people that the protest was organized at the entrance of the New Mangalore Port because it is one of the chief centres for the reception of cheap imported oil. He also informed press people that, after the Kerala High Court placed a stay order on the import of edible oils through Kerala ports, all the edible oil is being imported through the New Mangalore Port. 

Kodihalli Chandrashekar said that, owing to cheap import of edible oil from Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, about 1 crore farmers in the state’s districts are finding it difficult to eke out a living. He demanded that the import duty on edible oil must be raised to a minimum of 150 percent. 

The farmers intensified their protest when the port authorities tried to move some transport vehicles out of the port premises. They physically stopped the vehicles from moving out.