Lok Sabha Question No. 138 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Problems of Chilli Farmers of Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: JAYADEV GALLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 138

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  JULY, 2017

## PROBLEMS OF CHILLI FARMERS OF ANDHRA PRADESH

## *138.      SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it has come to the notice of the Union Government that problems/ hardships are being faced by Chilli farmers in Andhra Pradesh due to lower remunerative price for their produce;
- (b) whether it is a fact that the State Government of Andhra Pradesh has requested the Union Government to purchase Chilli from farmers at Rs. 7,000 per quintal under Market Intervention Scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has restricted the procurement price of chilli to Rs. 5,000 per quintal and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether it  is  also  true  that  the  farmers  are  not  getting  remunerative  prices  in  the absence of cold storage facilities and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  any  discussions  have  been  held  with  the  Ministry  of  Food  Processing Industries  for  sanctioning  more  cold  storage  facilities  in  Andhra  Pradesh  and  if  so,  the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण

(a) to (e):

½ãâ¨ããè (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  138   DUE FOR REPLY ON 25 TH  JULY, 2017.

(a) to (c): Due  to  lower  remunerative  price  of Chilli  in  Andhra  Pradesh,  the  State Government  had  forwarded  a  proposal  under  Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  for procurement of Chilli during 2017 season @ Rs.8,000/- per quintal.  Under MIS, commodities are procured at cost of production.  Accordingly, Union Government approved the proposal of Government of Andhra Pradesh for procurement of Chilli @ Rs.5,000/- per quintal based on the cost of production of Chilli furnished by the State Government in their proposal.

(d): No,  Madam,  in  order  to  arrest  post-harvest  losses  of  horticulture  &  non-horticulture produce  and  to  provide  remunerative  prices  to  farmers,  Government  is  implementing  the Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure to provide integrated  cold  chain  and  preservation  infrastructure  facilities  from  the  farm  gate  to  the consumer or from the production site to the market.

(e): Under the scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Ministry of Food Processing Industries provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 35% for general areas and @ 50% for North Eastern States, Himalayan States, Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure and @ 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to maximum  grant-in-aid  of  Rs.10  crore  for  setting  up  integrated  cold  chain  projects  in  the country  including  Andhra  Pradesh.    At  present,  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  is assisting total 236 integrated cold chain project of a total of 7.68 Lakh MT capacity of Cold Storage/Controlled Atmosphere (CA)/Modified Atmosphere (MA) Storage/Deep Freezer under the  scheme  for  integrated  Cold  Chain  and  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  including  10 integrated  cold  chain  projects  of  total  0.26  Lakh  MT  Capacity  of  Cold  Storage/CA/MA Storage/Deep Freezer in Andhra Pradesh.  The scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value

Addition Infrastructure is demand driven and not region specific.  Therefore, State wise funds are not allocated under the scheme.

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