Telangana Seeks Centre's Support for Maize and Jowar Crops
Telangana's Minister for Agriculture met with the Union Minister of Agriculture to discuss support for farmers. The meeting highlighted the need for a price support scheme and procurement quota for crops like maize and jowar, which are facing low market prices due to overproduction. The state has estimated a production of over 47.25 lakh tonnes of maize and jowar this Rabi season, with cultivation on over 20.3 lakh acres.
- •Maize and Jowar Crisis: Telangana's Plea for Centre's Help
Maize and Jowar Crisis: Telangana's Plea for Centre's Help
Summary Box: Telangana Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao met Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi, requesting inclusion of maize and jowar crops under the price support scheme, enhancement of sunflower procurement quota by the Centre, and a clear policy on herbicide-tolerant cotton. The Telangana Government has been procuring some crops not covered by the Centre's PSS, but needs Centre's help to stabilize market prices.
The PSS is a government program that provides minimum support prices (MSPs) to farmers for certain crops, ensuring they receive a fair price for their produce. The Centre procures these crops at the MSP, helping farmers recover their costs and maintain a stable income. However, the PSS has limitations, and the Centre's procurement quota for certain crops is often inadequate, leading to market fluctuations and farmer distress.
- ▸The MSP for maize is ₹2,400 per quintal, but traders are buying it at ₹1,800 per quintal, causing a loss to farmers.
- ▸The Telangana Government has procured 11.45 lakh tonnes of maize so far, but the Centre's procurement quota is only 14.9 lakh tonnes.
- ▸The Centre's procurement quota for sunflower is also inadequate, with the Telangana Government requesting an increase.
Why is the Centre's Help Needed?
The Centre's help is crucial in stabilizing market prices and ensuring farmers receive a fair price for their produce. The Telangana Government has been procuring some crops not covered by the Centre's PSS, but this is not a sustainable solution. The Centre's procurement quota for certain crops is often inadequate, leading to market fluctuations and farmer distress.
- ▸The Centre's procurement quota for maize and sunflower needs to be increased to stabilize market prices.
- ▸A clear policy on herbicide-tolerant cotton is needed to address the concerns of farmers.
- ▸The Centre's help is necessary to ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce and maintain a stable income.
What are the Implications of the Centre's Help?
The Centre's help will have significant implications for the agricultural sector in Telangana. It will ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce, maintain a stable income, and reduce market fluctuations. The Centre's procurement quota for certain crops will also help stabilize market prices and reduce the burden on farmers.
- ▸The Centre's help will ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce, maintaining a stable income.
- ▸The Centre's procurement quota for certain crops will help stabilize market prices and reduce the burden on farmers.
- ▸A clear policy on herbicide-tolerant cotton will address the concerns of farmers and ensure they receive a fair price for their produce.
Did You Know? The Centre's procurement quota for certain crops is often inadequate, leading to market fluctuations and farmer distress. In 2020, the Centre's procurement quota for maize was only 10 lakh tonnes, while the total production was 47.25 lakh tonnes, causing a significant loss to farmers.
CATEGORY: national TAGS: agriculture, price support scheme, telangana, centre's help, maize, jowar, sunflower, herbicide-tolerant cotton SOURCE: The Hindu
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