Udupi:  BJP Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and appealed to restructure coffee growers' crop loan as a relief package.

In a memorandum submitted to the Union Minister, copy of which was released to the press here, Ms Karandlaje said coffee growers in the country have suffered huge loss due to the impact of the climatic conditions.

The coffee growers in Karnataka and other states have suffered a severe blow in the past few years due to floods and drought, she added.

As a relief package, the Centre should take steps to restructure their short term and Medium term crop loans and convert them to long term loan with a reduced interest rate, Karandlaje added.

All crop loans and development loans availed by coffee growers, including accrued interest, should be converted into long-term loans for a nine-year period with a 2-year moratorium and a reduced interest rate of 3 per cent, she has suggested.
The MP has also urged the Minister to take steps to sanction new loans to all coffee growers with 3 percent interest through commercial banks.