Updated: September 19, 2020 7:59:42 am
As of September 9, the number of wheat farmers using MSP during the 2020-21 rabi marketing season (RMS) reached 43.33 lakh, 22% more than last year’s 35.57 lakh. (Figurative)
The number of wheat producers who availed themselves of the minimum support price (MSP) has doubled in the last five years, while the number of those rice producers has increased by 70 percent during the same period, according to the last official data.
The data was shared with Rajya Sabha on Friday by Raosaheb Patil Danve, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, who responded in writing to a question without an asterisk.
It takes on significance as farmers in Punjab and Haryana have taken to the streets for fear that proposed farm laws will resonate with the end of the MSP regime. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi allayed fears, saying his government is committed to offering a fair price to farmers through MSP and that public procurement will continue as before.
As of September 9, the number of wheat farmers enrolled in the MSP during the 2020-21 rabi marketing season (RMS) reached 43.33 lakh, up 22% from 35.57 lakh last year.
Read | We keep raising the problem, the PM’s tweet is not enough: Badals; SAD to decide on alliance
The data shows that the number of wheat farmers who availed themselves of the MSP doubled (112% increase) from RMS 2016-17, when that number was 20.46 lakh.
During the current rabi marketing season, the top five states with the highest number of wheat farmers using MSP are Madhya Pradesh (15.93 lakh), Punjab (10.49 lakh), Haryana (7.80 lakh) , Uttar Pradesh (6.63 lakh) and Rajasthan. (2.19 lakh).
The data also shows that the number of rice farmers using the MSP reached Rs 1.24 million during the 2019-20 kharif marketing season (KMS). This is 28 percent more than the 96.93 lakh rice farmers who benefited from the MSP during KMS 2018-19. No data is available for KMS 2020-21 because the kharif rice procurement has not started yet.
Explained: Why Three Farm Bills Pressured Akali Dal to Step Down from the Union Cabinet
The number of rice farmers who joined the MSP has increased by 70 percent since KMS 2015-16, when the number was 73.08 lakh.
The five states with the highest number of rice producers using the MSP during KMS 2019-20 are Telangana (19.88 lakh), Haryana (18.91 lakh), Chhattisgarh (18.38 lakh), Odisha (11.61 lakh) and Punjab (11.25 lakh).
In KMS 2015-16, Punjab was at the top of the list of 25 Union states and territories where the highest number of rice farmers had turned to MSP. The state has now been pushed to fifth place. In fact, the state has seen a decrease in the number of farmers benefiting from the MSP. But the number of wheat farmers using MSP has increased in the state.
In Haryana, the number of wheat and rice farmers using MSP has increased.
The government sets the MSP of 22 “mandatory agricultural crops” and the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane based on the recommendations of the Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
However, data on the farmers who used the MSP are available for both crops, as these are two main products purchased by the Food Corporation of India for the core group. There are some coarse grains like jowar and also legumes that are purchased by government agencies.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay up to date with the latest headlines
For the latest news about India, download the Indian Express app.
.
