Lok Sabha Question No. 1517 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Support to Cashew and Sugarcane Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Captain Viriato Fernandes

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1517

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH  July, 2025

## SUPPORT TO CASHEW AND SUGARCANE FARMERS

1517. SHRI CAPTAIN VIRIATO FERNANDES:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has conducted or received any assessment of the financial distress  faced  by  small  and  medium  cashew  planters  and  Sugarcane  growers in  Goa, particularly due to fluctuating market prices, high input costs, labour shortages and lack of institutional support;
- (b)  whether the Government proposes to introduce a Minimum Support Price, procurement mechanism or dedicated support for Goan cashew growers and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons for the continued policy neglect of the cashew sector in Goa; and
- (c)  whether the Government plans to recommence the Sanjivni Sugar factory, if so, the details thereof and the alternative options proposed for the factory, the workers and any plan for utilising the land?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛमंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): No Sir.
- (b):  No Sir. At present, there is no proposal  under consideration to include more crops under Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime. The inclusion of crops under MSP framework is dependent on several factors which include relatively large shelf life, non- perishable, widely grown, item of mass consumption, essential for food security, among others.

However,  Government  has  taken  several  initiatives  for  cashew  industry  which include following:.

- i. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare for holistic growth of the horticulture sector including cashew. All States and UTs are covered under MIDH scheme.
- ii. Programmes for the development of cashew under MIDH are implemented through Directorate of Cashew nut and Cocoa Development (DCCD), Kochi. The Directorate is implementing programmes for improving production and productivity through new planting programme & rejuvenation by using high yielding varieties in the country. The  programmes  involve  removal  of  senile  plantations  and  replanting  with  High Yielding varieties as per suitability of the location.
- iii. Directorate of Cashew & Cocoa Development in association with various research stations, is organizing various transfer of technology programmes .

(c): The Central Government has de-licensed the sugar industry in 1998. After this, any entrepreneur is free to establish a sugar mill in any part of the country. As far as the private sector is concerned, it is the responsibility of the entrepreneurs concerned to take steps for reopening/reviving the closed or sick sugar mills. In the case of public and co-operative sector  sugar  mills,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  the  respective  State  Governments/Union Territories to take appropriate steps in this direction. The Central Government does not establish any kind of sugar mill in any part of the country.

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