Sugarcane MSP at Rs 320 in Haryana: Minister

The Haryana government has fixed the support price of sugarcane crop at Rs 320 for 2016-17, which is the highest in the country, a state minister informed the Assembly.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister O P Dhankar was replying to the Calling Attention Notice of INLD MLA Parminder Singh Dhull and three other MLAs during the ongoing budget session of the Assembly here.

Dhankar said that when the market prices of pulses and oilseeds are lower than the MSP, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) procures the crop at MSP through HAFED.

"Likewise, if the market price of cotton is lower than the MSP, it is purchased by the Indian Cotton Corporation (ICC) at MSP," he said.

The Minister said that the market price of black gram and barley is more than the Minimum Support Price, thus there is no need for intervention by the government.

In addition to this, the state government provides subsidy to farmers through implementation of centrally- sponsored schemes and state schemes. Subsidies are provided on seeds, equipment, fertilizers and pesticides, he added.

He said that Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is being implemented in order to compensate the farmers for their losses due to natural calamities.

"Paddy, cotton, bajra, maize, barley, wheat, mustard and gram crops are covered under the scheme. Apart from this, in cases of natural calamities the State Government provides compensation to the farmers after conducting 'special girdawari' (revenue survey) for loss of crops," he said.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala, while speaking on the Calling Attention Notice, said farmers are suffering from the burden of debt due to non-recovery of cost of produce.

"The prices of everything that the farmer needs for his survival has increased manifold. Support price is not given to the farmers according to cost of production," Chautala said.

Chautala said that INLD members were dis-satisfied with Dhankar's reply after which the main opposition party's legislators staged a brief walkout from the House.

The Congress members also joined them and staged a brief walkout, saying they too were not satisfied with the Agriculture Minister's reply.