<p>Scores of farmers today staged a dharna near the house of Krishna, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, and protested the Central budget's proposal of lowering the basic customs duty on raw silk from 30 per cent to five per cent.<br /><br />The farmers said the measure would hit them badly. The delegation submitted a memorandum to Krishna, who promised that he would raise the issue with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran.<br /><br />The farmers wanted the Finance Minister to roll-back the move during reply to general discussion on the budget.<br /><br />A leader of the farmers also demanded that the State government buy cocoons at Rs 400 per kg. The farmers said they are in distress following a steep fall in the price of cocoons in recent days.<br /><br />Karnataka accounts for about half of India's raw silk production, according to officials.</p>
<p>Scores of farmers today staged a dharna near the house of Krishna, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, and protested the Central budget's proposal of lowering the basic customs duty on raw silk from 30 per cent to five per cent.<br /><br />The farmers said the measure would hit them badly. The delegation submitted a memorandum to Krishna, who promised that he would raise the issue with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran.<br /><br />The farmers wanted the Finance Minister to roll-back the move during reply to general discussion on the budget.<br /><br />A leader of the farmers also demanded that the State government buy cocoons at Rs 400 per kg. The farmers said they are in distress following a steep fall in the price of cocoons in recent days.<br /><br />Karnataka accounts for about half of India's raw silk production, according to officials.</p>