Lok Sabha Question No. 1659 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-02
Subject: Remuneration and Storage Facilities for Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1659

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND   JULY, 2019

## REMUNERATION  AND  STORAGE  FACILITIES FOR FARMERS

1659.    SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that farmers are getting rock bottom prices for their produce;
- (b) if  so,  whether  any  schemes  are being developed for immediately providing them fully developed cold chain network linking villages with cities;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  expected  requirement  of 'pack-houses'  nearer  to  villages  in  the country  and the  focus  made  for  market reforms, in detail?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): The prices of agricultural produce are determined by supply and demand conditions in the market on a day-to-day basis. Price of agricultural produce tends to fall after the harvesting season due to increase in market arrival of new crop in a lumpy manner. There is no general indication that farmers are getting rock bottom prices for their produce. The all India average annual wholesale prices are more or less close to the level of Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for MSP crops. A statement showing all India wholesale prices and MSP of major agricultural crops is given at Annexure.
- (b) to (d): The  Government  is  implementing  the  scheme  for  Integrated  Cold  Chain  and Value  Addition  Infrastructure  as  one  of  the  component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Sampada Yojana  with  the  objective  of  arresting  post-harvest  losses  of  horticulture  &  non-horticulture produce  and  providing  remunerative  prices  for  their  produce.  Under  the  scheme,  the Government provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @35% for general areas and  50%  for  North  East  States,  Himalayan  States,  Integrated  Tribal  Development  Project (ITDP)  areas  and  Islands.  These  are  provided    for  storage  and  transport  infrastructure  and 50%  and  75%  respectively  for  value  addition  and  processing  infrastructure  subject  to  a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs. 10 crore per project for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility without any break from the farm gate to the to the consumer. The integrated   cold chain and preservation infrastructure can be set up by individuals, groups of

entrepreneurs, cooperative societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations  (FPOs),  Non-Governmental  Organisations  (NGOs),  Central/State  PSUs,  etc. The  scheme  is  primarily  private  sector  driven  and  proposals  under  this  scheme  are  invited through Expression of Interest (EOI).

Under  the  Scheme  for  Integrated  Cold  Chain  &  Value  Addition  Infrastructure  (as  on 31.05.2019) 296 cold chain projects have been approved. Out of 296, 152 cold chain projects have  stated  their  commercial  operations  and  remaining  144  are  in  various  stages  of implementation.

The capacity created by 152 operational cold chain projects under the Scheme is as under:

| Cold Storage/ Controlled Atmosphere / Deep Freezer   | 5.41 Lakh MT              |
|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Individual Quick Freezing(IQF) / Spiral Freezer      | 143.45 MT/hour            |
| Milk Processing /storage                             | 59.01 Lakh Litres Per Day |
| Reefer Vehicles                                      | 836 Nos.                  |

As per the Report of the Committee for Doubling Farmers' Income, establishing modern pack-houses on a priority basis at horticulture producing areas with aim to move the aggregated and pre-conditioned produce to wholesale market is a key objective as there is a huge shortfall of 69831 numbers in the Integrated pack-house infrastructure.

For Integrated (modern) Pack houses, the Government provides Rs.50.0 lakhs/unit with throughput  capacity  of  16  MT/day,  with  facilities  for  conveyor  belt  sorting,  grading,  washing, drying & weighing.

********

## ANNEXURE

## All India Average Monthly Wholesale Prices and Minimum Support Prices (MSP) of Major Agricultural Crops

| State          | MSP 2018-19   |   April, 2019 | May, 2019      |
|----------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
| Paddy          | 1750          |          1780 | 1793           |
| Bajra          | 1950          |          2171 | 2207           |
| Barley         | 1440          |          1745 | 1795           |
| Gram           | 4620          |          4679 | 4796           |
| Jowar          | 2430          |          2637 | 2625           |
| Maize          | 1700          |          1943 | 1973           |
| Ragi           | 2897          |          2715 | 2690           |
| Wheat          | 1840          |          2108 | 2120           |
| Arhar Whole    | 5675          |          5108 | 5557           |
| Whole          | 4475          |          4768 | Masur 4902     |
| Moong Whole    | 6975          |          5952 | 6211           |
| Whole          | 5600          |          5230 | Urad 5441      |
| Groundnut      | 4890          |          5035 | 5132           |
| Copra          | 9521*         |         11148 | 10583          |
|                | 4945          |          3757 | Kardiseed 4047 |
| Mustard Seed   | 4200          |          3978 | 4073           |
| Nigerseed      | 5877          |          4732 | 4700           |
| Sesamum Seed   | 6249          |          9883 | 9782           |
| Soyabean       | 3399          |          3675 | 3742           |
| Sunflower Seed | 5388          |          3705 | 3567           |
| Cotton/Kapas   | 5150          |          5785 | 5839           |
| Jute Raw       | 3700          |          4259 | 4336           |
| Potato         | Not fixed     |          1074 | 1149           |
| Onion          | Not fixed     |          1114 | 1315           |
| Tomato         | Not fixed     |          2060 | 3273           |