A group of independent farmer organisations in the district are planning an indefinite agitation, raising a slew of demands, including suspension of revenue recovery measures against farmers.
The Wayanad District Cooperative Bank has initiated revenue recovery measures against farmers by invoking the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest (SARFAESI) Act.
M. Surendran, president of Haritha Sena, a farmer organisation, said in a statement here that the State-Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) had declared a one-year moratorium on agriculture loans with effect from July 31, 2018. This was to help farmers tide over the crisis caused by the slip in crop prices and the crop loss in the recent floods.
Notices to 800
The District Cooperative Bank issued revenue recovery notices to more than 800 farmers as per the direction of the Registrar of the Cooperative Department on October 15. The Registrar had also directed to restrict the moratorium to agriculture loans, he said.
A recent meeting of farmer organisations, including Haritha Sena, Purogamana Karshaka Samithi, Farmers’ Relief Forum, Infarm, and Karshaka Mahasangh decided to launch agitations against the move of the bank. They would also demand interest-free agriculture loans and a monthly incentive of ₹10,000 to all farmers who had suffered damages in the flood.
The mode of agitation would be decided after a meeting of farmers on Thursday, Mr. Surendran said.