MSP for paddy, pulses hiked
The Centre on Thursday hiked up the MSP or floor price for paddy by Rs 100/qtl and pulses by up to Rs 240 a quintal.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday hiked up the MSP or floor price for paddy by Rs 100/qtl and pulses by up to Rs 240 a quintal. The hike in support for paddy for the current marketing year (2009-10 ) ��� up by 11.76% to Rs 950/qtl and Rs 980/qtl for Common and Grade A varieties���was in line with the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
But the recommendations were made well before the monsoon went into marked deficit and rendered some 246 districts of the country officially drought-struck . Compared to this, the paddy support price was hiked by 31.8% for the 2008-09 marketing year (Rs 850 and Rs 880/qtl respectively for Common and Grade A varieties) over the previous year. Against this, the support price for paddy farmers in a drought year is virtually peanuts.
India���s annual monsoon rainfall has been 27% lower than the 50-year average in the June 1-August 17 period, forcing paddy and other farmers to replant at least twice, if not thrice, and incur heavy costs on diesel, water pumping, fertiliser and other key inputs besides relying on heavy loans from banks.
But the recommendations were made well before the monsoon went into marked deficit and rendered some 246 districts of the country officially drought-struck . Compared to this, the paddy support price was hiked by 31.8% for the 2008-09 marketing year (Rs 850 and Rs 880/qtl respectively for Common and Grade A varieties) over the previous year. Against this, the support price for paddy farmers in a drought year is virtually peanuts.
India���s annual monsoon rainfall has been 27% lower than the 50-year average in the June 1-August 17 period, forcing paddy and other farmers to replant at least twice, if not thrice, and incur heavy costs on diesel, water pumping, fertiliser and other key inputs besides relying on heavy loans from banks.
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