Question : BUMPER PRODUCTION OF ONION AND POTATO

(a) whether a bumper production of onion and potato has been registered in several parts of the country during the current season;

(b) if so, the production of onion and potato in the current season as compared to the corresponding period last year in each State/UT;

(c) whether incidents of distress sale and throwing away of onions and potatoes by the farmers have been reported from various parts of the country; and

(d) if so, the reasons therefor including the remedial measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government including the Market Intervention Scheme by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India/the National Cooperative Development Corporation?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE(SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 3 DUE FOR REPLY ON 13TH MARCH, 2012.

(a) to (d): As per present estimates, production of onion during the year 2011-12 is 157.48 lakh MT as against 151.18 lakh MT last year. Similarly, the estimates of production of potato during the year 2011-12 is 436.45 lakh MT as against 423.39 lakh MT last year. A statement showing State-wise production of onion and potato is given at Annexure I.

Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, upon receipt of proposals from State Governments implements Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities, under which losses, if any, are shared between the Central Government and the State Government concerned on 50:50 basis. During the current year, MIS proposals from Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh for procurement of 54,000 MT of onion @ Rs.6000 per MT and 100,000 MT of potato @ Rs. 3280 per MT, respectively, was agreed to.

Further, Government of India provides assistance under Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) schemes for development of infrastructure for post harvest management including establishment of cold storages and setting up of terminal markets, wholesale markets and rural primary markets/apni mandies to ensure adequate supply of fruits and vegetables to the consumers at reasonable prices and also to provide remunerative returns to the farmers. In addition, National Horticulture Board (NHB) provides assistance for establishment of cold storages. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) also provides assistance to cooperatives for establishment of cold storages including modernization. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) is a Central Agency implementing MIS operations of agricultural commodities including onion and potato.