India: Potato growers urge government to waive loans

After claiming to have suffered huge losses after the governments demonetisation move, the Jalandhar potato growers’ association (JPGA) on Monday threatened to throw their crops in front of banks if the government does not waive their loans taken against the crops. “Due to demonetisation, we have suffered the loss of two consecutive crops. There are no buyers of potatoes in any state,” said Jaswinder Singh Sangha, general secretary of the association. “If the situation does not get rectified within a week, we will be left with no other option than to intensify our agitation against demonetisation,” he added. President of the association Raghbir Singh said, “Potato seed production is an expensive activity and the farmers in Punjab have raised massive loans from banks owing to the heavy investment required to produce quality seeds, but are suffering from heavy losses.” More