Chandbali: Rising prices of feeds, lime, bleaching powder, medicine, daily wages of labourers and oil have added to the miseries of prawn farmers in Chandbali area of Bhadrak. Another problem that has hit them is distress sale of prawn. They warned of staging an agitation if no step is taken by the government to check distress sale of prawn
Reports said, over 5000 prawn farmers are going through the crisis in Chandbali. Currently, they are forced to sell prawn (each 10gm) to export agencies for anything between Rs 100 and Rs 150 a kg. “As a result, we have been incurring losses,” some farmers lamented at their annual congregation here Saturday.
They demanded that the government should come forward to fix minimum support price (MSP) of prawn and put curbs on the export agencies which are arbitrarily fixing the price.
Prawn-farming in fresh water has flourished as a second calling next to paddy for farmers in this block. A large number of youths have got self-employment in the sector and have been able to strengthen their socio-economic condition.
However, almost all farmers unanimously observed that as their government has no clear-cut police on prawn farming, they are being exploited by the export agencies.
They also alleged that compared to prices in other states, farmers here get less price for prawns.
The prawn farmers got together Friday at Choudhry ghat of Mantei river and brainstormed on their next course of action.
They have formed a committee comprising 11 farmers from various areas like Tihidi, Basudevpur and Chandbali blocks.
MLA Byomkesh Ray attended the meeting and assured farmers that he would take up their cause with the state government.
They have forwarded a memorandum listing their demands to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Their demands included approach roads to prawn gherries, electricity, expeditious steps by the government to sort out distress sale of prawn and protective measures for their livelihood.
They warned that they would start an agitation if their issues are not sorted out.
