Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 29 Nov 2021
The farmers of Great Nicobar protesting at Campbell Bay for starting the procurement of Copra on MSP and for the establishment of a permanent Copra procurement centre at Campbell Bay, have now shifted their Dharna to Assistant Commissioner Office, Campbell Bay. The farmers informed that they will now sit day and night in the compound of AC Office, Campbell Bay until and unless their demands are fulfilled.
Earlier today the farmers of Great Nicobar blocked the roads of Campbell Bay and called for Campbell Bay Bandh. Small Traders Association, Campbell Bay also supported the demands of the farmers and kept their shops closed for the whole day today.
The farmers are increasingly getting impatient because they haven’t heard back from the Administration even on the eighth day of their protest.
The demands of the farmers are genuine as Govt. of India has already fixed the Minimum Support Price of Copra, but the Administration has not been able to procure Copra from the farmers on MSP.
Farmers have written 13 letters to the authorities requesting them to start the procurement of Copra on MSP, but they say that the administration gave them fake assurances each time. The farmers say that they will accept nothing short of starting the procurement of Copra on MSP this time.
Earlier, this evening the protesting members burned tyres at Zero Point, Campbell Bay to show their outrage to the Administration.
Even women have stayed back today and have decided to continue the dharna at Assistant Commissioner Office, Campbell Bay for the whole night and beyond.
The demands of the farmers to start the procurement of Copra on MSP is crucial for them to continue the trade of agriculture. At present because of not starting the procurement of Copra on MSP, the price of the coconuts at Campbell Bay is very low and the farmers are increasingly getting exploited by a private company.
Govt. of India had settled Ex-Servicemen Families at Great Nicobar from 1969 and allotted them land for agriculture, but very little effort has been made to make arrangements for them to sell their produce. Great Nicobar has a small population and the farmers face problems because of the non-availability of a large enough market to sell their produce. Great Nicobar is also the farthest Island from the capital town of Port Blair and the transportation of the produce from Great Nicobar to Port Blair is not viable without any Govt. support.
Apart from Coconut, the farmers are unable to take up any other crop because of the non-availability of a large enough market and problems in regular and speedy transportation.