Lok Sabha Question No. 320 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-19
Subject: Hike in Prices of Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: VISHNU DAYAL RAM, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 320

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH   JULY, 2016

## HIKE IN PRICES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

320.   SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

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

- (a) whether the prices of vegetables and fruits including tomatoes and onions often shoot up in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  the  food  inflation  occurs  due  to  low  production  which  is  not  at  par  with  the demand;
- (d) if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  the  production  of  fruits  and vegetables in the country to bring their prices under control and ensure remunerative prices to the farmers;
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  High  Yield  Variety  (HYV)  seeds  of agricultural crops including tomatoes, onions and pulses and to increase their production; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a) to (d): The price of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes and onions vary according to  changes  in  demand  and  supply  conditions,  which  depend  on  crop  seasonality,  weather conditions, seasonality of demand etc. Movements in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) of Food articles, vegetables and fruits including tomatoes and onion in 2016 are as under:-

| Periods        |   Food articles |   Vegetables |   Fruits |   Onion | Tomato   |
|----------------|-----------------|--------------|----------|---------|----------|
| Jan, 2016      |           268.7 |        289.9 |    231.9 |   354.8 | 357.4    |
| February, 2016 |           260.5 |        221.1 |    236.8 |   309.8 | 224.0    |
| March, 2016    |           259.5 |        212.4 |    237.5 |   273.6 | 194.3    |
| April, 2016    |           265   |        223.4 |    259.8 |   254.2 | NA       |
| May, 2016      |           271.1 |        253.9 |    259.8 |   247.9 | NA       |
| June, 2016     |           279   |        297.3 |    260.9 |   255.4 | NA       |

NA:- Not available due to off  season.

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented during XII Plan w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering all the horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables. The  Mission  envisages  production  and  productivity  improvement  of  horticulture  crops through coverage of area with improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation,  creation  of  water  resources,  adoption  of  Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM), Integrated  Nutrient  Management  (INM),  organic  farming,  including  insitu  generation  of organic inputs, Capacity building of farmers and technicians is also provided for adopting improved technologies.

Government  is also implementing the Market Intervention Scheme  (MIS)  for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities, which are generally perishable in nature.  The basic objective of MIS is to provide remunerative prices to the farmers in case of glut in production and fall in prices.  The MIS is implemented on the specific request of the State Government/UT Administration willing to share loss with the Central Government on 50:50 basis (75.25 in case of North Eastern States).

The  government  has  set  up  a  Price  Stabilization  Fund  for  supporting  market interventions  by  State  Governments  and  Central  Government  agencies  in  case  of  rise  of prices of price-sensitive commodities like onion and potatoes.

(e) & (f): Government  is  implementing  a  Sub-Mission  for  Seed  and  Planting  Material (SMSP) under National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET) w.e.f. 01.04.2014  on  all  India  basis  through  States/UT  Departments  of  Agriculture,  State  Seed Corporations,  State  Seed  Certification  Agencies,  State  Agricultural  Universities,  Krishi Vigyan Kendras, National Seed Corporation, etc.  The main objective of the Sub-Mission is to  develop/strengthen  seed  sector  and  to  enhance  production  and  multiplication  of  high yielding  certified/quality  seeds  of  all  agricultural  crops  and  make  these  available  to  the farmers at affordable prices.  It also seeks to put in place an effective system for protection of  plant  varieties,  and  to  protect  rights  of  farmers  and  plant  breeders  to  encourage development of new varieties of plants.

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