Addressing the reporters after visiting disease affected areca plantation of Ramegowda at Kunchebail near Dyavagodi in Sringeri, he said that government must come forth to waive off all the loans of the farmers and provide fresh loans to them.

“Commercial crops grown in the region are suffering from incurable diseases. Food crops though can be grown in the region, they are not earning enough money for the farmers. The Government must provide interest free loans to farmers after taking into consideration all the problems that our farmers are facing,” he said and added that banks should not resort to confiscation of property of farmers.

He compared confiscation of property to the practice of British era and said that the British culture is being followed by the banks for recovery of loans. “Farmers are doing their work sincerely but Government has failed in its duty to provide proper market and price for their produce.

Farming is going to docks due to the negligence of the Government,” he said and told the farmers that if any bank publishes their name and photograph in many media declaring them as defaulters then farming community as a whole will stage protest against such banks.

He said that though farmers are not adequate price for paddy, consumers are buying rice at a very high price. This is due to the intervention of middlemen. “Government must declare support price and purchase the paddy,” he said.