The Hindu Business Line : Better prices sought for forest produce

REMUNERATIVE prices should be paid to the Girijans for the forest produce collected by them and the Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC) here, constituted for the welfare of Girijans, should not degenerate into yet another middleman, the All-India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) has said.

After staging a demonstration in front of the GCC office here on Monday, under the leadership of Ms P. Tanya, the AIKMS submitted a memorandum to the GCC Managing Director, Mr Vidya Sagar."It is really pathetic that the corporation is donning the role of a middleman. It is adopting aggressive retail marketing methods and selling the products to the consumers at higher rates, but the Girijans are paid a pittance,'' complained Mr G. Narasayya, MLA of Illendu in Khammam district.

Mr G. Divakar, General Secretary of the state unit of the AIKMS, said the GCC was not paying remunerative prices to the produce procured by it. Besides, it was leaving out several agricultural commodities such as white burley to private companies and individuals.

He alleged that the GCC employees were indulging in sharp practices and there was no control or check on them. Listing out some of the important commodities, the AIKMS sought procurement of tamarind at Rs 25 per kg, honey at Rs 110 a kg, turmeric at Rs 60 a kg and white burley tobacco at Rs 45 a kg.

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