Govt move to rename Methran Kayal as Sarkar Kayal

KOTTAYAM:

Methran Kayal

will be renamed as

Sarkar Kayal

if the private companies which hold a major share of the Methran Kayal fail to come forward for farming next year, said Agriculture Minister V S Sunilkumar. Speaking after inaugurating the harvest festival at the Methran Kayal on Saturday, Sunilkumar issued a warning to the consortium of private companies under the banner

Rakindo Developers

, not to take up a fight with the Government. "Next year also we will farm here," he said. The Minister said that registering 35 companies is a cheating of Company Act. The have violated the rules to bypass the Land Ceiling Act, he said. He also said that the Government has not taken these violations lightly and will deal with utmost seriousness.

He also lauded the Agricultural department officials and farmers on the occasion saying that the success story of Methran Kayal was made possible by the joint efforts of both. The selected officials will be honoured and will be given good service entry," he declared. He also said that like Aranmula Rice, Methran Kayal rice will also be marketed. He reassured the farmers saying that the Government will procure the rice they produce and will ensure that the farmers will not face any financial loss.

Actor and organic farming enthusiast Sreenivasan launched the logo of Methran Kayal rice during the function. He termed the harvest as a "historical event" and a ''need of the time''. Recalling his experience during a recent visit to China where he travelled to the agricultural lands there, he said farmers there owns BMW cars while farmers here are committing suicide. ""The Chinese Government ensures minimum guarantee for the produce of the farmers and never allows the traders to reduce the price of the produces below a fixed price," he said. Earlier, K

Suresh Kurup

MLA who presided over the function lauded all the Government officials, local residents and farmers for making the resumption of farming in Methran Kayal after nearly a decade a grand success.