Farmers getting benefit from MSP hike in doubt: NP
Bhubaneswar, Jul 9: Govt. of India announced the Minimum Support Price (MSP) which is not acceptable. Rs. 200 hike per quintal for paddy is too less in comparison to the actual production cost involved. Also govt. agencies like FCI (Food Corporation of India) only procure Rice and Wheat from govt.. Each year farmers in Odisha as well as all over the country expect to sell their produce in remunerative price, but it does not happen. Govt. agencies procure a part of the produce and there is shortage of godowns to keep these produce, alleges Mr. Niranjan Patnaik, Odisha PCC President.
Presenting a comparative data Mr. Patnaik has mentioned, country produced around 146 million ton paddy every year between 2010-11 to 2014-15. 147 million ton paddy was produced during 2015-16. In that year central govt. hiked MSP for paddy by Rs.50/- per quintal. Based on that price govt. agencies procured around 43 million tons of paddy. That was around 29% of the total paddy produced. Likewise 152.4 million tons of paddy was produced in the year 2016-17 and govt. hiked MSP by Rs.60/- per quintal. Procurement by govt. agencies was 46 million tons (30.18% of total production). Last year (2017-18) total 156.12 million tons of paddy was produced and 52 million tons were procured. The hike in MSP was Rs.80/- per quintal. The procurement represents 33.3 percent of total production. Keeping in view these figures, this year it is expected that govt. agencies will procure around 35% of the total produce.
This is to be mentioned here that, every year govt. agencies only procure paddy and Wheat in MSP. But thousands and lakhs of tons of all other agri produce like oil seed, potatoes, onion, sugar cane, vegetables are being sold as per market determined prices. Because of this, many times farmers are compelled for distress sale. Also govt. has no sufficient godown facilities to store the food grained procured. Therefore govt. must initiate steps to facilitate farmers get the genuine cost and make available sufficient storage facilities for agri produce, demands PCC president Mr. Patnaik.
