New Delhi, Jan 29 : Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram today met his State counterparts here, and discussed individual State’s priorities and their demands ahead of the General Budget.

The inclusion of a financial package for farmers in the States affected by farmer suicides reportedly figured during the discussions, besides other major issue like the adverse effect of rupee appreciation against the dollar.

Poor harvests and trade liberalisation are said to be the major reasons forcing farmer to commit suicides, which have been on rise during the past decade.

Poor irrigation, lack of cold storage and little access to foreign markets are the major handicaps faced by farmers.

Maharashtra has witnessed the maximum number of suicides by farmers followed by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Many other states have also been facing this problem.

The Central Government intends to give a boost to the farm sector in order to have a double-digit growth rate of the economy on a sustained basis.

Chidambaram will present the budget for 2008-09 on February 29. (ANI)