The Hindu Business Line : TN Governor to take up planters' plea with CM

THE Tamil Nadu Governor, Mr P.S. Ramamohan Rao, has assured the planters in the State that he would take up with the Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, their pleas listed by Mr D. Hegde, Chairman of the Planters' Association of Tamil Nadu (PAT) in his presidential address at the Golden Jubilee commemoration here.

"The very fact that the CM has abolished the agricultural income-tax on plantation crops effective from April 1 indicates the sympathetic attitude of the Government to your problems. I will take up with the CM the other issues," he said.

The Governor complimented the planters for helping raise the living conditions of the labour through housing, school, hospital and crèches.

He wondered if the problems of the industry could be because of its failure to scan the global developments and quickly adjust to the changing marketing scenario. "You will do well to add value to your products. Move from commodity trading to product trading and the future is likely to be good," he advised.

Mr Rao urged the planters to go for organic cultivation as the West, which was unable to control pollution, was prepared to pay a good price for the eco-friendly products from the East. He advised the planters to price their products at an affordable level for the benefit of the consumers.

Tracing the birth of the coffee houses in London in the 16th century, the British Deputy High Commissioner at Chennai, Mr Stuart Innes, observed that today, Europe and the UK had become a mentionable consumer of quality coffee. "In the US, nearly half the population drink nearly 3.5 cups a day," he added.

Mr Innes also advised the growers to go for organic cultivation and supply the product at a fair price.

Mr Hegde thanked the TN Government for abolishing the vexatious Agricultural Income-Tax. He, however, said that the relaxation of land reforms legislation to permit the partial diversification of the plantation crops into other profitable cash crops was necessary.

He sought permission of the Government to plant fuel trees in vacant land in possession of plantations to reduce the dependence on more expensive fossil fuel for tea manufacture.

He wanted a reduction in the power tariff for the tea factories and other service connections in the plantations.

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