Port Blair, Oct 16: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Union Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to direct National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) to procure Copra from Andaman and Nicobar Islands under Price Support Scheme.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, the Member of Parliament mentioned that a large number of farmers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including the majority of brothers and sisters of Nicobari Tribal Community and farmers of Great Nicobar (Campbell Bay) depend on Copra farming for their livelihood.
He added that due to delay in procurement of these Copra under Price Support Scheme of Government of India, presently Copra farmers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, especially Copra producers of entire Nicobar District are being exploited by middlemen, who are procuring Copra from them at very cheap price.
As with time, Copra loses weight and it causes further loss to the Copra farmers, the Member of Parliament requested the Minister for an early action in this regard.
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