Coconut growers seek ban of imported GM seeds and loan waiver

The Tamil Nadu Farmers' Union on Monday asked the State government to prevail on the Centre to ban imported GM seeds.

Use of such seeds was generating white pests which destroy coconut trees and inter-crops, the union alleged.

A group of farmers affiliated to the union arrived at the Collectorate by covering their mouths and also holding infested coconut leaves and submitted a petition listing their demands, which include waiver of loans.

Union president S Palanisamy claimed the white pest attack has resulted in loss of crores worth coconut trees and to compensate this, loans taken by the farmers should be waived.

The farmers alleged that the department concerned has observed that the pest generation was the result of cultivation of imported GM seeds in large areas, which was affecting the country's agriculure scenario.

The Centre should take steps to ban such imports to save the farmers, he said.