No unrestricted imports in agriculture, says Pawar

NEW DELHI: Government on Friday said it does not favour unrestricted imports in the agriculture sector, keeping in mind the interests of farmers.

"The interests of farmers need to be protected, we cannot open the entire agriculture sector for imports," Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told Rajya Sabha while replying to supplementaries during Question Hour.

The minister's comments came when Shobhana Bhartia (Nominated) asked why the government was not increasing imports in the face of severe drought.

Replying to a supplementary on CAG pointing out several discrepancies in expenses incurred by Food Corporation of India (FCI), Pawar said CAG in its report for 2009-10 pointed out certain discrepancies in expenses incurred by FCI.

He said the action taken note, duly vetted by the CAG on the discrepancies pointed out, will be furnished to the Committee on Public Undertakings for their examination.

"With a view to improving the working of FCI, the government had engaged Mckinsey and Co. in November 2004. The main objective of the study was to improve efficiency of FCI's functioning," Pawar said.