Nellore: Farmers resent meagre hike in MSP offered by the Centre

Nellore: Several farmers in the district are expressing displeasure over the nominal increment in Minimum Support Price for the paddy crop by Rs. 53 per quintal. They say it is the lowest hike when compared to the hike in MSP for other crops. They opine that there was no significant benefit to the paddy farmers as was claimed by the Union Finance Minister. They regret that they have already been experiencing hardships due to nationwide lockdown imposed to curb covid-19.

Paddy is cultivated in about one-fourth of the total cultivated area in the state. The Godavari-Krishna Delta and the adjoining coastal plains form one of the most outstanding rice-producing tracts of the country. In Nellore, this year, officials predicted 15 lakh metric tonnes of paddy harvest and Civil Supplies Corporation had finally procured only 3.5 lakh tonnes of paddy from the farmers.

Farmers Associations say 80 pc of farmers have sold out the produce to the middlemen at nominal prices due to hardships during the lockdown. Normally, the district cultivates paddy in 7 lakh acres in the first crop and in 3 lakh acres in the second crop. But, this year the cultivation area has been reduced significantly.

Recently, the Union Government had announced enhancement of Rs. 53 per quintal for paddy which would be applicable from the next season. In fact, the farmers expected huge sops from the Government and now they are very much disappointed due to low increment in the MSP. In fact, the MSP for other crops such as jowar, bajra, ragi and maize etc is more when compared to paddy.

"In the case of paddy, the new MSPs offered for two varieties are Rs. 1,868 (from Rs.1,815) and Rs. 1,888 (from Rs 1,835) and the increment is only Rs. 53 per quintal which comes at 3 pc. said Ch Kotireddy, State Secretary of Confederation of Indian Farmers' Associations. He said farmers are demanding an increment of Rs. 200 per quintal during the crisis.