Belthangadi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Pratapasimha Naik said that the Center and the state government have always been responsive to the groundnut growers.
He was speaking at a press conference called at the Tourist Mandir on Wednesday This time, in the winter session held in Belgaum, there was a discussion about the plight of the nut farmers. The government took this seriously and took appropriate remedial measures and gave an explanation. Even during the fall in the price, they joined the nut farmers and conducted a jatha on foot.
About 12 lakh hectares of groundnut cultivation in the country is doing an annual business of Rs. 5,400 crores. In the state also, farmers are growing groundnuts in an area of about 9.5 lakh hectares and doing business of Rs. 4,300 crores annually and about 50 lakh people are making a living.
Although nut cultivation is naturally growing in the coast, in recent years it has spread to the north including Andhra and Telangana. The central and state governments are taking action from time to time regarding the stability of the nut crop. They are taking action to use the nut like sugarcane for other uses such as dyes, medicines, chemicals etc. without causing any harm. The government should pay special attention to the nut growers. Even the nut tree strives to become a kalpa tree like the coconut tree.
But because the Congress elections are approaching, it has never woken up from sleep and thought about the groundnut growers, but now it is showing false accusations in calculation of political gain and showing irresponsibility.
It has taken steps to stabilize the price in the country by increasing the special tax on the import of groundnuts with the international system. Bharti Taluk President Rajesh Permuda, Vice President of Beltangady P.K.S.Sahkar Sangh Ganesh Savanalu were present.
