Farmers want more attention

PADANG, West Sumatra: Hundreds of farmers from 14 regencies in West Sumatra visited the provincial legislative council on Tuesday, asking for more attention from the administration, which they claim have been exploiting them through a number of complicated policies.

The farmers, grouped under the Association of Minang Farmers Caring for the Environment, said that they had been fed up with a number of government policies which hadn't favored them at all.

"The government and the provincial administration should stop chastising us as West Sumatra farmers through their conflicting policies," Hilman Topan, spokesman for the farmers, told legislators.

He also accused the government of exploiting farmers, citing an example when farmers were obliged to buy a certain product of pesticide at prices higher than market price.

"If a product is offered at a lower price to farmers, the site officials of the agriculture office ask for fees from us," Hilman said.

"The period after harvesting has also posed a problem to us. We have to sell our commodity to markets, but the markets are dominated by middlemen. The government should have thought about this for the sake of the farmers," Hilman added.

The farmers also complained that the government had never paid attention to a human resources development plan for farmers.

West Sumatra Police chief Brig. Gen. Didi Kusumayadi and Provincial Secretary Ali Amran attended the meeting with the farmers.

Ali promised to convey the farmers' demand to the governor. (28/sur)