Question : Input Cost of Paddy

(a) whether it is a fact that input cost of paddy growers has increased manifold during the last three years and the current year, whereas the minimum support price of paddy has come down;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether it is a fact that the paddy producing States including Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are not getting remunerative prices for their produce, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(d) the details of the States where farmers are not getting Minimum Support Price and the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(e) whether it is true that paddy growers have committed suicide in different parts of the country including Maharashtra on account of the steep rise in the input cost of paddy production and heavy loss due to decline in minimum support price of paddy; and

(f) if so, the remedial measures taken by the Government to provide a reasonable remunerative prices to the paddy growers for their produce?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) & (b): All India Weighted Average all paid out cost of production including family labour (A2+FL) estimated by Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Paddy for last three years and current year i.e. from 2013-14 to 2016-17 are given below:
(Rs. Per quintal)
Year Cost of production MSP
2013-14 961 1310
2014-15 978 1360
2015-16 1020 1410
2016-17 1045 1470
Contd…2-



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(c) & (d): Government ensures remunerative prices to farmers by extending price support for foodgrains including paddy. All the foodgrains, including paddy conforming to the prescribed specifications offered for sale at specified centres are bought at MSP by the public procurement agencies. However, farmers have the option to sell their produce to Government procurement agencies at MSP or in the open market as is advantageous to them. MSP for paddy is applicable for all the States including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

State-wise procurement of rice from 2013-14 to 2016-17 is given at Annexure.

(e) & (f): As per the report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), causes of suicides by farmers, inter alia, include crop failure, indebtedness, drought, socio-economic, personal reasons etc. Separate data on suicide by paddy growers is not available.

Maharashtra is not a major rice producing State. It contributes less than 3% of total rice production in the country.

In order to increase production and productivity and to ensure higher returns the Government has taken several initiatives which, inter alia, includes National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Soil Health Card, National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) etc.