<p class="title">Jilla Sarvajanika Hitharakshana Samithi has urged the district administration to bring the issue of loss of crops, especially paddy and coffee, following untimely rain that hit the district recently, to the notice of the government. </p>.<p class="title">The Karnataka government should initiate a special financial package for the farmers on the model of Kerala, they demanded.</p>.<p class="title">Samithi president A S Kattimandayya met Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhanwar Singh Meena and explained to him the problems faced by the farmers and growers. </p>.<p class="title">"Paddy growers had harvested the standing crop by paying hefty wages to the labourers. However, the untimely rain has resulted in the germination of paddy. The paddy straw was also damaged in the rain. The coffee berries could not be dried following heavy rain. Owing to the vagaries of nature, the quality of coffee could not be maintained," he said. </p>.<p class="title">A majority of the coffee growers in Kodagu district are small scale growers. The yard is used for drying the coffee berries. Owing to the untimely rain, the moisture content in the yard had increased and the coffee could not be dried. The farmers are in distress and are unable to repay the borrowed loans, said the Samithi members in an appeal. </p>.<p class="title">It is a tragedy that the government has failed to understand the genuine problems encountered by the farmers. The Kerala government has come to the rescue of the coffee growers. The government has fixed Rs 4,500 support price per bag of coffee. If the model is replicated in Karnataka, it will benefit lakhs of growers who are reeling under crisis, said Kattimandayya. </p>.<p class="title">Further, he said a large number of farmers and growers had Pauthi Khata campaign in November. However, even after two months, the processing of the applications has not taken place. </p>.<p><strong>Vehicle rally</strong></p>.<p class="title">Meanwhile, demanding support price for coffee, the members of Raitha Sangha Kodagu unit and Hasiru Sene will take out a vehicle rally from Kodagu to Freedom Park in Bengaluru on January 25 and 26.</p>.<p class="title">The Kodava Riders Club has also extended support to the rally. </p>.<p class="title">Kodava Riders Club leader Ajjikuttera Prathvi Subbaiah and Sannuvanda Kaverappa, in a press release, said that the club members had taken out a bike rally last year, from Bengaluru to Kodagu, urging the government to fulfil the demands. </p>.<p class="title">The loans borrowed by the farmers in Kodagu should be waived, along with announcing support price for coffee, they added.</p>
<p class="title">Jilla Sarvajanika Hitharakshana Samithi has urged the district administration to bring the issue of loss of crops, especially paddy and coffee, following untimely rain that hit the district recently, to the notice of the government. </p>.<p class="title">The Karnataka government should initiate a special financial package for the farmers on the model of Kerala, they demanded.</p>.<p class="title">Samithi president A S Kattimandayya met Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhanwar Singh Meena and explained to him the problems faced by the farmers and growers. </p>.<p class="title">"Paddy growers had harvested the standing crop by paying hefty wages to the labourers. However, the untimely rain has resulted in the germination of paddy. The paddy straw was also damaged in the rain. The coffee berries could not be dried following heavy rain. Owing to the vagaries of nature, the quality of coffee could not be maintained," he said. </p>.<p class="title">A majority of the coffee growers in Kodagu district are small scale growers. The yard is used for drying the coffee berries. Owing to the untimely rain, the moisture content in the yard had increased and the coffee could not be dried. The farmers are in distress and are unable to repay the borrowed loans, said the Samithi members in an appeal. </p>.<p class="title">It is a tragedy that the government has failed to understand the genuine problems encountered by the farmers. The Kerala government has come to the rescue of the coffee growers. The government has fixed Rs 4,500 support price per bag of coffee. If the model is replicated in Karnataka, it will benefit lakhs of growers who are reeling under crisis, said Kattimandayya. </p>.<p class="title">Further, he said a large number of farmers and growers had Pauthi Khata campaign in November. However, even after two months, the processing of the applications has not taken place. </p>.<p><strong>Vehicle rally</strong></p>.<p class="title">Meanwhile, demanding support price for coffee, the members of Raitha Sangha Kodagu unit and Hasiru Sene will take out a vehicle rally from Kodagu to Freedom Park in Bengaluru on January 25 and 26.</p>.<p class="title">The Kodava Riders Club has also extended support to the rally. </p>.<p class="title">Kodava Riders Club leader Ajjikuttera Prathvi Subbaiah and Sannuvanda Kaverappa, in a press release, said that the club members had taken out a bike rally last year, from Bengaluru to Kodagu, urging the government to fulfil the demands. </p>.<p class="title">The loans borrowed by the farmers in Kodagu should be waived, along with announcing support price for coffee, they added.</p>