Governor underlines need to resolve economic plight of plantain farmers
“Though we call them food producers, their lives are miserable. So they should be taken care of and their economic plight should be improved.
TIRUCHY: Our banana farmers have no proper link to market their products and their value-added products need to be shown to the outside world so that they could get lucrative pricing, observed the Governor of Tamil Nadu RN Ravi here on Saturday.
Interacting with the banana farmers at the National Research Centre for Bananas here, the Governor RN Ravi said, there are several value-added products made through bananas and they include cloths, cosmetics, and bags but how much remuneration these farmers get out of it is pathetic.
“Though we call them food producers, their lives are miserable. So they should be taken care of and their economic plight should be improved.
Stating that the farmers have several problems including poor linking to the markets for their produce, the governor said, that due to several such issues, these farmers get a fraction of the price while the traders enjoy the maximum profit with direct farm produce to the value-added products.
Expressing concerns about the poor patronage of banana value-added products, Ravi said that these products should be taken outside and create awareness among the people so that they would get worth profit for the farmers.
“Our Prime Minister is more concerned about the farmers and used to interact with the experts on how to improve the lives of farmers. On my part, I shall definitely take it up and discuss it with the competent body and the union government,” he said.
Meanwhile, the governor invited the banana farmers to visit the Raj Bhavan during festival seasons and display their products so that the people visiting the house would witness and get to know about them.
Earlier, the governor took part in the Leadership Conclave “Daksha 2.0” at the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli (IIM Trichy).
As many as 28 industry speakers participated in panel discussions and round table sessions. The central theme of this year’s event revolves around the age of disruption. In a time when technological advancements, globalization, and shifting societal dynamics have become the norm, leadership has taken on a whole new dimension.