Question : Provision of MSP to Maize Farmers

(a) whether the Government has any scheme to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the maize farmers of Bihar particularly in Kishanganj district and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the amount of funds allocated for Purnea and Kishanganj districts of Bihar in particular;

(c) the details of the annual maize production in Bihar and the quantity procured by Government at the MSP rate during this year; and

(d) the steps proposed by the Government to procure all the maize produced by farmers in Bihar so that they are not forced to sell at the lower price in the open market?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a): The Government announces Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 22 mandated crops, including maize, on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned and other relevant factors. MSP is determined for the country as a whole, though region specific parameters are kept in view while formulating price policy for agricultural commodities.
(b) to (d): As per the extant guidelines for allocation, distribution and disposal of coarse grains procured by state agencies/ Food Corporation of India (FCI), the State Governments are allowed to procure coarse grains from the farmers at MSP under the central pool with the prior approval of Government of India for procurement plan prepared by the State Governments in consultation with FCI. The whole quantity is distributed under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) in the State/UT within three months from the end of procurement season.
As the State Government of Bihar has not sent any procurement plan for the procurement of maize in Bihar for the ongoing year, no approval has been given for procurement for maize in Bihar by the Government of India.

As per 4th advance estimates for year 2019-20, the production of maize is estimated at 2.01 million tonnes in Bihar.
*****