Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Friday alleged that while the central government announces the minimum support price (MSP), it places the responsibility of procuring crops on the states, significantly burdening them. He demanded that the Centre procure every crop for which MSP is announced.
Minister Reviews Kharif Season Preparations
During a meeting, the minister reviewed the selection of rice varieties, seed availability, and cultivation plans for the upcoming Kharif season with agricultural university scientists and department officials. The minister noted that last year, the availability of 33 rice varieties created difficulties for farmers during procurement, as some did not receive bonuses, an issue that came to the government's attention.
Focus on Limited Rice Varieties
To avoid such problems this year, he emphasized focusing on a limited number of varieties that yield higher returns for farmers. As part of the governance progress plan, he instructed that special awareness programmes on these seeds be conducted during farmer festivals from May 4 to 9, and that the selected seed varieties be made available to farmers by May 15.
Criticism of Central Government's Role
The minister criticized the central government for limiting its role to announcing MSP, stating that it does not ensure whether farmers actually receive the declared prices. He pointed out that no measures are taken to enforce MSP in the open market, leading to losses for farmers. In states like Telangana, the government procures crops at support prices to prevent such losses, which places an additional financial burden.
Financial Impact on State
He noted that this results in an extra burden of 2,000 to 3,000 crore annually, with no support from the Centre. He reiterated that the central government should fully procure every crop for which MSP is announced.
