(a) whether Government have come to the conclusion that the farmers` woes are
attributable mainly to transport constraints, restrictions and imports;
(b) if so, extent to which prices of agricultural products have fallen under these
constraints; and
(c) the steps taken by Government to help the farmers?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SRIPAD Y. NAIK)
(a): The recent declining trend in the prices of certain agricultural commodities may
be attributed mainly to increased availability by way of higher production and/ imports
and fall in international prices for major agricultural commodities like, wheat, rice, edible
oils, etc.
(b): The wholesale price index (WPI) number for the week ending 17.02.2001 shows
an annual fall in rice (1.3 per cent), wheat (2.0 per cent ), jowar (16.4 per cent), bajra
(23.2 per cent), maize (9.4 per cent), barely (27.3 per cent), ragi (13.0 per cent ), arhar
(8.5 per cent), rapeseed/mustard seed (12.4 per cent), copra (23.2 per cent),etc.
(c): Steps taken to protect the interests of the farmers include fixation of minimum
support prices of major agricultural commodities and procurement thereof through
public and cooperative agencies, implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme
(MIS) covering horticultural and minor items of produce at the request of the State
Governments and using instruments of trade to discourage imports and encourage
exports.