(a) whether the Government seriously proposes to provide fair price to small farmers for their crops and hard work;
(b) if so, whether the Government has taken any steps in this regard;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (d): Under the present MSP operation mechanism, Government has various Schemes for price support to notified crops in order to provide fair prices to the farmers including small farmers.
The procurement of paddy and wheat at MSP from farmers is done through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State Agencies. Further, different types of nutri-cereals and maize are procured at MSP from farmers by State Governments itself in consultation with FCI to the extent that the concerned State Government may utilise the same for distribution under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) as well as Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).
Under the umbrella Scheme of PM-AASHA, oilseeds, pulses and copra of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) are procured from registered farmers at MSP in consultation with the concerned State Government and as per Price Support Scheme guidelines. Further under PM-AASHA, States / UTs are also offered to choose either Price Support Scheme (PSS) or Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) in a given procurement season with respect to particular oilseeds crop for the entire State. States have also the option to roll out Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on pilot basis in district / selected APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private agencies for MSP notified oilseeds crops. Under PSS, in order to provide maximum benefit of MSP to the small and marginal farmers, per day limit of procurement from individual farmers has also been prescribed.
Cotton and Jute are procured by Government at MSP through Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and Jute Corporation of India (JCI) respectively.
All the payments of such procured crops are made by the procuring agencies directly into farmers’ accounts.
Moreover, if farmer gets favourable terms and better price in comparison to MSP, they are free to sell their produce anywhere.
Besides, Government also extends remunerative prices to the farmers through Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), on the request of concerned State/UT Govt by making procurement of perishable agriculture and horticulture crops for which MSP are not announced through designated agencies directly from farmers as prescribed in the Scheme Guideline.
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