Farmers are not getting the mimimum support price (MSP) for their crops, and efforts are being made so that they get the right remuneration, Radha Mohan Singh, Agriculture Minister, said on Friday.
During Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said that from his experience he felt that farmers often did not get the price settled as the MSP.
“My experience is largely of [the area] from Delhi to Kolkata. And in the 100 km around these areas, the MSP is not reaching paddy farmers,” said Singh, adding that the process of procurement in the States was being monitored.
“There is a scheme... apart from wheat and paddy, there are items for which MSP is announced. There is a price support scheme that whenever the price drops below the MSP, the government should buy. When a proposal comes from a State, the Centre gives money for the purchase.
“I would like to inform that for over 8-lakh tonnes were procured for pulses, cotton, etc,” the Minister said.
He said consultations were on with States and the NITI Aayog to find out how a better system could be established.
He was responding to several members, who had raised questions about the steps being taken to increase the income of farmers.
In response to another question, he said that the export of gherkins during2017-18 has shown a growth of 27 per cent over the previous year.
European countries had earlier barred mangoes from India. He said the government took appropriate steps and the export has commenced again.
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