Silvester D’ Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Dec 4: “Farmers and cooperative societies being associated with each other, as the farmers grow the cooperative societies should also grow.  The relationship should continue.  Farmers are the life of cooperative society movement” said Vinay Kumar Sorake, minister in charge of Udupi district.
 
Minister Sorake was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on ‘additional basic facilities for farmers in agricultural cooperative societies’ held jointly by Udupi district farmer’s society registered,  Kambadkone farmer’s cooperative society limited Uppunda and Huyyaru Patel Charitable trust at Kundapur’s Vyasaraja Kalyana Mantapa on November 30.

“Agriculture is a main source of our income.  Yet, the spread and standard of agriculture is decreasing.  The farmers being in unorganized sector and being unable to reflect their problems is the reason for the backwardness of agriculture.  The farmers should be strong in this regard”, he said.
 
“It is distressing to know that sugar factory and Varahi irrigation projects have not been successful as expected.  An amount of Rs 12 crores have been released for revival of sugar factory as grant for the first stage, by the government soon after it came to power. 

The work in the factory will be set in motion when the chief minister comes to Udupi for the first time.  33 years have elapsed after starting the Varahi project.  The project that was started with Rs 9 cores has incurred an expenditure of Rs 450 crores.  It requires an additional amount of Rs 450 crores for its completion.  A discussion will be held to hasten the work.  Action will be taken to remove impediments and to complete the work in time”, he said.
 
Farmers are being helped to be confident.  The cooperative societies should also facilitate the work of the farmers.  Farmers and cooperative societies should work together.  When the government works for the development of farmers, cooperative sector also grows with them.  Farmers are not isolated.  District administration is with them.  The government has already distributed compensation for Betelnut decaying illness.  The central government also has sanctioned Rs 175 crores as compensation for it.  As regards Brahmavar sugar factrory, the matter will be discussed with farmers, their suggestions will be collected and the decision will be arrived at based on them, he said.
 
K Pratapchandra Shetty, president of farmer’s society, who presided over the programme, spoke and said that “the cooperative societies should function taking into consideration the needs of the farmers.  Farmers cannot afford to buy expensive modern machinery for farming.  The cooperative societies should buy them and give them to the farmers on reasonable rent. Farmers are unable to get as many facilities as they were getting from them in the past.  Cooperative societies should think of cooperating with the farmers within their means.  Farmers and cooperative societies should work together for the betterment of farming”, he said.
 
Sheshagiri Gota, president of district farmer’s society; S Raju Poojary, president of Udupi district farmer’s society cooperative department; B V Poojary, president of District Kissan Sangha; Jayasheela Shetty, president of Brahmavara sugar factory; Antoniel Maria Immanuel, joint director of agriculture, Udupi district; Dr B P Satish, deputy director, department of horticulture, Arun Kumar

of cooperative societies and Raghuram Shetty, director of SCDCC bank were present.
 
S Raju Poojary welcomed the gathering.  President of Kambadkone farmer’s cooperative society, Uppunda and Zilla farmer’s society Khambadkone regional president S Prakashchandra Shetty gave a key note address.  Journalist K C Rajesh conducted the programme.
 
Provision of machinery to the farmers without burdening the farmers and without incurring loss by the cooperative societies, manure, seeds, pesticides, machinery, maintenance of machinery, opportunities for implementation of basic facilities by the cooperative societies, subsidy for various projects and possibility of conducting information camps by the cooperative societies etc were discussed during the workshop.  Presidents of various cooperative societies, chief executives, directors, farmers and taluk panchayat members were present at the programme.
 
Let the farmers conference be led by the farmer’s  society

As the agricultural society is completing one hundred years of its existence, an agricultural conference is scheduled in Kundapur. 

It will be more meaningful if it is led by farmer’s association.  The conference is being held to increase self confidence among the farmers. The government administration will fully cooperate with them, said minister Vinay Kumar Sorake.