(a) whether the Government is considering bringing a legislation to confer on the farmers the “Right to sell at Minimum Support Price”;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) if not, the measures taken/to be taken to ensure remunerative price for every crop announced by the Government?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) & (b): No Sir.
(c): The Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSP at a level of atleast one and half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, Government had increased MSPs for all mandated crops with a return of at least 50 percent over all India weighted average cost of production for the season 2018-19. Government has recently increased the MSPs for all kharif crops for 2019-20 season in line with the principle of providing 50 percent return over all India weighted average cost of production.
Apart from increasing MSPs, Government has taken several steps to provide remunerative prices to farmers for their produce which include stepping up the procurement through designated procurement agencies, implementing e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), enacting the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 and promoting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). The Government is working on market architecture so as to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices on their produce. These include setting up of Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) with a view to promote 22,000 number of retail markets in close proximity of farm gate; competitive and transparent wholesale trade at APMC through e-NAM; and a robust and pro-farmer export policy.
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