The Hindu Business Line : ‘Improper data limiting agri support price calculation’

Hyderabad, Dec. 12 The Chairman of CACP (Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices) has said that the Commission has certain limitations on calculating support prices as it depended on improper data provided to them.

Addressing a national conclave of farmers organised by the Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Associations (CIFA) here on Wednesday, Dr T. Haque, the Chairman, felt that the methodology involved in ascertaining cost of cultivation was ridden with drawbacks. The actual cost of production was not being represented properly.

“We (CACP) depend on the figures provided to us by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics,” he said.

He pointed out that the commission should be allowed to collect data directly in order to reflect the actual costs. Citing the example of Punjab, he said lease rentals of the land and wages didn’t reflect the ground realities.

Dr Haque said he had brought the issue to the notice of the Ministry.

He, however, felt that the minimum support price was not a solution to the problems faced by the farmers. “Even if we double it, it is not going to solve the problem,” he said, pointing out that relevant trade policies should be fine-tuned to benefit the farmers.