Farmers Movement Archive

Govt to buy more kharif crops amid stir

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has approved plans to step up procurement of kharif or summer-sown crops, especially pulses and oilseeds, at minimum support prices (MSPs), at a time when farmers are protesting against a new set of laws they fear may weaken the MSP regime and the procurement mechanism.The Centre will launch a special procurement drive to buy nearly 1.4 million tonnes of pulses and oilseeds from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana under its “price support scheme” at MSP prices, according to an order of the agriculture ministry.The approval for procuring pulses and oilseeds came after a proposal from these five states, a ministry official said, requesting anonymity. “The government is open to approving more requests for procurement of pulses and oilseeds from other states,” the official said.Also Read: Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy procurement continuesAmong non-food crops, the government is also preparing for procurement of cotton for the 2020-21 season. “Cotton Corporation of India will start purchase of FAQ (fair and average quality) grade cotton from 1st October 2020 onwards,” the official said.The National Cooperative Development Corporation, the apex financing organisation of the agriculture ministry, has sanctioned, in the first instalment, funds worth ₹19,444 crore to Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana for paddy procurement at MSP rates, the official said.Also Read: SAD asks Rahul Gandhi to tell farmers why he supported abolition of APMC ActAccording to the first advance estimates of food production released by the agriculture ministry on September 23, output from the country’s kharif crops is likely to touch a record 144.5 million tonnes. The estimates are marginally higher than the 143.4 million tonnes produced during the kharif season of 2019-20. WATCH | ‘Farm laws are like dagger through farmers’ heart’: Rahul Gandhi attacks CentreThe increase in food output is largely due to higher estimated production of pulses at 9.3 million tonnes, up 20% year-on-year from 7.7 million tonnes last year. Production of rice, the main staple, is estimated to be 102.4 million tonnes, slightly higher than last year’s.“The government will buy pulses and oilseeds outside the five states under the price support scheme if the market rate dips below MSP during the notified harvesting period,” the official quoted above said.According to data from the agriculture ministry, the Union government, through its nodal agencies, has procured 46.35 tonnes of moong with an MSP value of ₹33 lakh, benefitting 486 farmers in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, 5,089 tonnes of copra having an MSP value of ₹52.40 crore has been procured, benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu against the sanctioned quantity of 123,000 tonnes for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.Also Read: ‘Delhi farmers to get free chemical to tackle stubble’: CM KejriwalThe procurement of paddy started from September 26 in Haryana and Punjab. Up to September 28, 3,164 tonnes of paddy in Haryana and 13,256 tonnes in Punjab, totaling 16,420 MT, with an MSP value of ₹31 crore. had been procured from 1,443 farmers in the two states.Big farmers’ groups, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, are protesting three laws . The reforms have cost the BJP one of its oldest allies, the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has quit the ruling alliance.“Given higher production, wholesale prices of many commodities are expected to fall. It would be interesting to see if government agencies end up procuring substantially more than in usual years, especially pulses and oilseeds. It will send a political signal to protesting farmers that the government is committed to the MSP regime,” said R Mani of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Hindustan Times

01-10-2020

India