Farmers want more attention

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)