Lok Sabha Question No. 3932 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Remunerative Prices for Agricultural Produce
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3932

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  MARCH, 2018

## REMUNERATIVE PRICES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

3932.  SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  economic  condition  of  the  farmers  in  Maharashtra  is  not  improving  in  the absence of proper rainfall, good seeds etc. and also due to not getting remunerative price for their produce;
- (b) the  details  of  the  efforts  being  made  to  ensure  remunerative  price  to  farmers  for  their produce; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a): The  low  economic  condition  of  farmers  in  the  country  including  for  Maharashtra  is attributable to small or marginal agricultural land holdings, traditional methods of farming, non-use of quality seeds, poor soil health, low irrigation facilities, inadequate access to institutional credit etc, which result in lower productivity & output; poor farm gate prices realization owing to inadequate access to marketing facilities & post-harvest support services; and inadequate income supplementation from allied sectors. In view of this, Government set up a Committee in 2016-17 to frame policies  and  strategies  for  doubling  farmers'  income  by  2022  through  various  initiatives  of Government. Alongside working on a comprehensive strategy, the Committee has been parallelly suggesting  various  interventions  which  the  Government  is  implementing  for  higher  gains  and income for the farmers including the farmers from Maharashtra. These schemes include Soil Health Cards  (SHC),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana  (PMKSY),  e-National  Agriculture  Market  (eNAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and promotion of allied activities like dairying, poultry, beekeeping and fisheries.
- (b) & (c): Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  ensure  remunerative  prices  to  farmers  for their  produce  which  include  fixing  Minimum  Support  Prices  (MSPs)  for  major  agricultural  crops, undertaking  procurement  through  designated  procurement  agencies,  implementing  e-National Agriculture Market, enacting the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 and promoting Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs).

The MSPs fixed by the Government provide adequate return over weighted average cost of production (A2+FL). The return over weighted average cost of production (A2+FL) for MSPs fixed by Government for 2017-18 has been in excess of 50% with return of 112.4% for Wheat, 88.4% for Rapeseed/Mustard, 79.6% for Masur, 78.8% for Gram, 66.9% for Barley, 65.4% for Urad, 64.3% for Tur, 62.0% for Jute and 50.2% for Bajra.

The Union Budget for 2018-19 has announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSPs at levels of one and half time the cost of production for kharif crops. The Budget has also indicated that  NITI  Aayog  in  consultation  with  central  and  state  Governments will  put  in  place  a  fool  proof mechanism so that farmers will get adequate price for their produce.