Question : Condition of Potato Cultivators

(a) whether the condition of the potato growers in various States including Uttar Pradesh is not improving due to non-payment of fair remunerative price for their produce and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the farmers are dumping potatoes on roads as they could not recover even the cost price of their potato crops and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to procure potatoes directly from the farmers at higher MSP rate and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to check exploitation of potato farmers by the traders and provide them remunerative price for their produce?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) to (d): To protect the growers from making distress sale in the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival period when the prices tend to fall below economic levels i.e., cost of production, Government implements Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of potato and other perishable horticultural/agricultural commodities and for which Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not announced. This scheme is implemented at the request of a State Government / Union Territory which is ready to bear 50 percent of the loss (25 percent in case of North-Eastern States), if any, incurred on its implementation. Proposals, which have been received from State Governments including Uttar Pradesh for procurement of potato under MIS have been approved in accordance with MIS guidelines.



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