BJP asks govt to revise MSP for paddy
Arguing that the difference between minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy was leading to discontent among farmers.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Arguing that the difference between minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy was leading to discontent among farmers, Leader of Opposition L K Advani on Sunday asked the government to upwardly revise MSP for paddy to bring it at par with wheat.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Advani said there is growing unrest among paddy growers across the country, particularly in southern states, over the new MSP fixed by the centre which, he said, "has no relation to the cost of cultivation".
"An added cause for their unrest is the widespread feeling that the UPA government is discriminating between paddy growers vis-a-vis the wheat growers," the BJP leader said.
While the government has fixed MSP of Rs 1,000 per quintal for wheat in the coming season, paddy growers would get Rs 645 per quintal for the common variety and Rs 675 per quintal for A grade produce.
"These (revised MSP for paddy) are only slightly higher compared to the MSP of Rs 620 and Rs 650 respectively in the previous season," Advani said.
He said the paddy growers are demanding an MSP of Rs 950-1,000 per quintal to offset the pressure of high cultivation costs.
"Many representatives of farmers' organisations have approached me to say that the MSP for paddy is way below the cost of cultivation which, according to them, is about Rs 950- Rs 1000 per quintal. This is due to the steep hike in recent years in the cost of all the inputs power, irrigation, transportation, fertilizers, pesticides and labour," Advani said.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Advani said there is growing unrest among paddy growers across the country, particularly in southern states, over the new MSP fixed by the centre which, he said, "has no relation to the cost of cultivation".
"An added cause for their unrest is the widespread feeling that the UPA government is discriminating between paddy growers vis-a-vis the wheat growers," the BJP leader said.
While the government has fixed MSP of Rs 1,000 per quintal for wheat in the coming season, paddy growers would get Rs 645 per quintal for the common variety and Rs 675 per quintal for A grade produce.
"These (revised MSP for paddy) are only slightly higher compared to the MSP of Rs 620 and Rs 650 respectively in the previous season," Advani said.
He said the paddy growers are demanding an MSP of Rs 950-1,000 per quintal to offset the pressure of high cultivation costs.
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"Many representatives of farmers' organisations have approached me to say that the MSP for paddy is way below the cost of cultivation which, according to them, is about Rs 950- Rs 1000 per quintal. This is due to the steep hike in recent years in the cost of all the inputs power, irrigation, transportation, fertilizers, pesticides and labour," Advani said.
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