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Riding on expectations of a bumper wheat crop this year, the Centre said it may review import duty if it feels that farmers are not getting the right price.
“Fresh wheat crop is expected to come by mid-March, … and when fresh crop hits the market, prices fall, and farmers have to take the loss,” said Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan here on Tuesday, adding that “government will take all necessary steps to ensure payment of MSP (minimum support price) to farmers and may review the import duty on wheat if required.”
He said the government’s experience was that traders take advantage of the high rates while farmers are forced to sell their produce at cheaper prices.
The Centre recently scrapped 10 per cent import duty on wheat to increase its availability in the domestic market. In around two months, 40 lakh tonnes wheat has been imported and more than 55 lakh tonne imports have taken place this year, the Ministry said in a release.
As per data released by the Agriculture Ministry, wheat production will be around 965 lakh tonnes. Sowing of wheat was up by 7 per cent, pulses increased by 11 per cent and sowing of oilseeds was higher by 6 per cent compared with last year.
“Going by the sowing area and favourable weather conditions, the country will have good yield of wheat,” the Minister said, adding that the Food Department held a meeting with wheat producing States on February 15, and had set the procurement target at 330 lakh tonne for the ensuing Rabi Marketing Season 2017-18.
Paswan also said during the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season a record 444 lakh tonne of paddy had been procured from the farmers.
“Extensive preparations have been made for procurement operations and Government will make necessary arrangements for payment of MSP to farmers. Special attention has been given to the farmers of Eastern States,” he added.
On pulses, he said while the farmers had produced record pulses, there were complaints that they were not getting even then MSP for moong and arhar, which is why the buffer stock of pulses was increased from 1.5 tonne to 20 tonne.
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