Date:24/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/24/stories/2007122457560800.htm

National

Farmers’ Day celebrated

Staff Correspondent

SHIMLA: When the majority people, politicians and policy makers were busy watching the election results of Gujarat a small assembly of peasants owing allegiance to some non government organisations and farmer unions had gathered here on Sunday morning to celebrate a much ignored Farmers’ Day.

The force behind the modest gathering, a noted voluntary organisation Himachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti, discussed threadbare the position, plight and future of agriculture in the hill State.

More than 19 lakh farmers in the State are dependent on small land holdings and at least 65.3 per cent of the population is directly dependent on agriculture, which is highest in the country.

A major crisis in farming is emerging with the governments withdrawing the subsidies and all kinds of assistance and the input costs are rising.

The HGVS spokesman said the farmers of the State expressed concern over the plunder my monkeys on their standing crops.

The simian menace is persisting in more than 2300 panchayats out of the 3243 panchayats in the State, said the HGVS.