Procure more red gram for Minimum Support Price: State to Centre

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said that the Central government's restrictions to procure agriculture produce with Minimum Support Price should change. He said that the pro-agriculture policies of Telangana government have increased the crop production. But, it is unfortunate that the Centre has not taken it into consideration.

Following this, the Minister said that it was decided to write a letter to the Centre to increase the quota for procurement of red gram. He said that the Centre was taking an average of five years and issuing orders for the procurement of 25 per cent of the crop production with MSP. This was not a proper method, he pointed out.

He insisted that the Centre should take into consideration the crop yields of red gram during the current year for the procurement offering MSP. Niranjan Reddy said that farmers can make a profit only when they need not wait to sell their agriculture produce.

Reviewing the plan of action for Rabi season, the Minister asked the officials to prepare an action plan for the procurement of red gram in advance. He said that farmers in the State have cultivated red gram in 10.80 lakh acres, in response to a call given by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to go for regulated farming. Conducive weather conditions indicate that the crop yields are expected to go up. Already, cutting of red gram crop has started in Narayanapet area. The Minister asked the Markfed to ensure that the procurement centres are opened by the current weekend. The Minister also reviewed the requirement and positioning of fertilizers for the Rabi season. Appreciating farmers experimenting milling paddy and selling the same, he said the farmers were requested not to worry about the paddy procurement. Currently, the paddy is procured at Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,400 per quintal in the market, he said. The Minister assured to procure entire cotton produce through CCI. For this, an additional 300 procurement centres have been opened this year, he informed.

Niranjan Reddy said that officials from the agriculture and horticulture would hold district-wise awareness workshops for Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bandhu Samiti members.