NASHIK :
State food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister Chhagan Bhujbal has demanded that the Center should allow state for procurement of entire maize output from farmers under the minimum support price by removing the kharif-rabi precondition.
Bhujbal has written to the Centre to draw attention towards maize farmers’ problems and to commence procurement of entire maize produce of the kharif and rabi seasons at minimum support price to provide them respite from the falling prices in spot markets.
Under the scheme, the government’s nodal agencies such as National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India procure crops at minimum support price to support dwindling prices in physical markets.
According to Bhujbal, minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has assured that the central government’s stance on maize procurement is positive and kharif maize procurement would soon be allowed. Farmers in the state are still having huge stock of kharif yellow corn in storage due to falling market prices on account of corona lockdown.
The farmers are in a dilemma as to what to do with the maize in store. The state is demanding that the Centre should remove pre condition of purchase of rabi maize through online registration. Instead it should allow state government to procure entire surplus maize output from farmers irrespective of whether it is rabi or kharif output.
Farmers sell maize when all the kharif works are over. However due to the fall in prices, many farmers have stored maize in their fields, and today there is a huge quantity of FAQ quality kharif maize left in the state for sale. Farmers are compelled to sell their crop at the rate of Rs 1100 to Rs 1200 per quintal which is a huge loss to them.
Theextension of lockdown across the state has also made it difficult for farmers to go to the talathi and register rabi season maize. Therefore, Bhujbal is demanding to allow to buy all the surplus maize of the kharif season and not just rabi season maize, so that the farmers get financial support and get justice during the lockdown period.