New Delhi: The government may announce a
bonus over and above the the minimum price paid to paddy farmers for the next season starting October.
In his meeting with a delegation of Akali Dal and
BJP MPs and MLAs from Punjab, led by state Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the government would definitely do something to give relief to paddy farmers.
Pawar said he was aware of rising cost of production
due to drought and the mater of giving incentive would be
seriously looked into at the time of procurement of paddy.
The Centre on August 20 increased the minimum support
price for 2009-10 season to Rs 950 per quintal for average
quality, and to Rs 980 per quintal for higher grade.
In 2008-09, the government procured paddy at Rs 900 per
quintal for fair average quality and at Rs 930 for higher
grade. This included the bonus of Rs 50 per quintal over and
above the MSP.
The delegation demanded that the Centre release Rs 3,000
crore to revamp the canals in Punjab to increase the crop
production.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 20:46