The Andhra Pradesh Government has announced the minimum support price (MSP) for the current sowing season for various agriculture products including chilli, turmeric, sweet orange, minor-millet, banana and onion.
PS Pradyumna, Special Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing, said, "The State government has announced very aggressive procurement policy. In 2019, it procured commodities worth Rs 3,300 crores through MSP operations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, we have arranged procurement centres in each village. Andhra Pradesh is probably the first State where a farmer will not need to go out of the village to sell his produce."
He informed that the procurement will be carried forward from the farm gate in special cases.
"In special cases procurement will be done from the farm gate itself. Andhra Pradesh is the only State which has announced State MSP for six commodities including chilli, turmeric, sweet orange, minor-millet, banana and onion. In case, rates fall below their MSP, the State government will do procurement operations for these commodities as well," he added.
"Farmers are also being given assurance, that in case of absence of competitive price their crop will be purchased as per the MSP announced. Last year, the State procured 8,10,000 metric tonnes of commodities minus paddy as paddy was dealt with by a separate orgsation. This year procurement will start from October 15. We are expecting to procure about 3 to 3.5 lakh metric tonnes. Small and marginal farmers will get priority in the crop procurement process," Pradyumna further said.
Farmers are required to get register details of their produce with e-Karshak and get themselves enrolled with Village Agriculture Assistants or Village Horticulture Assistants in RBKs to sell their produce.
( With inputs from ANI )
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