FDI will benefit farmers and generate jobs – Poojary

FDI will benefit farmers and generate jobs – Poojary

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 28, 2012 :Addressing the press at Press Club in Urwa on September 28, Friday, senior Congress leader B. Janardhan Poojary said that the BJP and other political parties are opposing foreign direct investment (FDI), which will boost India’s economy.

 

 

 

Stating that many are unaware of the benefits of FDI, Poojary said that it can help solve financial crisis and inflation. Referring to the BJP as an anti-farmer party, he said that the party has absolutely no concern for farmers. Listing out problems of farmers, he said that farmers lost 40 percent of their perishable products everyday because of lack of proper storage facilities.

Although consumers pay Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 per coconut in the market, the farmer who grows coconuts gets only Rs. 6 to Rs. 7 per coconut. If FDI is implemented in India, farmers can get Rs. 10 to Rs. 12 and the product can be sold for Rs. 12 to Rs. 15, which will benefit not only farmers, but also consumers. Stating that farmers produce in surplus, he said that this does not reach the market, but FDI will ensure that farmers will get good prices for their products. 
 
Regarding the impact of FDI on small businesses in India, he said that FDI will not have an adverse effect on small retailers because the country’s retail sector has huge potential for growth. Revealing facts and figures, he said that India’s retail sector handles $250 billion annually, a figure that is expected to reach $660 billion in 2015.

Speaking about the advantages of FDI, he said that it will eliminate the need for middle men as companies will purchase directly from farmers. Moreover, it will also generate a number of employment opportunities. He demanded to know how the opposition parties can oppose the FDI when the states of Gujarath, Maharashtra, and Delhi have welcomed it.

Congress leaders Kallige Taranath Shetty, Vijaya Kumar Shetty, and Harikrishna Bantwal were also present.