Mysore/Mysuru: Farmer leaders from across the Nation and State will be descending on Shivamogga for a national-level convention organised tomorrow (June 24), with a motto to strengthen farmers movement in South India, on the lines of Farmers Chalo in New Delhi.

This was announced to the media persons by President of Federation of State Farmer Organisations Kurubur Shanthakumar, at Jaladarshini Guest House, in the city on Tuesday.

He said the convention aims to deliberate on the introduction of Law related to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produces and waiving of farm loans. The norms related to Crop Insurance should also be changed and the amendment should be made to the guidelines of National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to award compensation for crop loss and damages due to drought, heavy rain, flood, rain damages and natural calamity.

“It has been also decided to take a delegation of farmer leaders to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, seeking their cooperation to strengthen farmers movement,” he said.

Demanding that, Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi should come to the rescue of farmers of the State by addressing the anomalies, he said: “While the Central Government procures only 3 percent of farm produces in the State through procurement centres, the State Governments in Punjab, Haryana and Telangana open procurement centres at every hobli level and buys 45 percent of the farm produces. The Centre should hike the allocation for procuring farm produces under MSP in the State.”

He also warned of staging a protest in front of Karnataka Gramin Bank (KGB), if they fail to hold LLBC Mega Adalat and disburse fresh loans by organising OTS Loan Mela, despite a Government Order in this regard.

Kurbur Shanthakumar also demanded for digitalisation of sugar industry that is mainly dependent on sugarcane growers, with the turnover of Rs. 25,000 crore. The digital facility should be introduced before issuing the letter of permission to crush the cane, with a mobile App already developed, to dispatch message to the cell number of the farmers about dual-party agreement, weight of cane, payment and yield of sugar.

District Vice-President of Sugar Cane Growers Association Marballi Neelakantappa, District Secretary Baradanapura Nagaraj, Taluk President Venkatesh, Nanjangud Taluk President Vijayendra, Pradeep and Mahadev were present.