Agriculture Minister P. Prasad told the Assembly on Thursday that the State Agriculture Debt Relief Commission would underwrite farmers’ debt.
Climate change-induced vagaries of weather, and escalating fertilizer and farming costs had pushed cultivators into bad times. The government would provide them relief. The government has sought applications from worst-hit farmers.
The Commission has already disbursed ₹265.66 crore to farmers. It would hold more sittings. Mr. Prasad was replying to an adjournment motion on farmers’ issues moved by Congress legislator T. Siddique.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the government’s compensation was insufficient. It had disbursed ₹15 crore as a relief when farmers reported a loss of ₹800 crore. Coconut and paddy procurement had not benefited farmers. The State had failed to curb spiralling fertilizer cost. Farmers in Kerala were in an irredeemable debt trap.
