Paddy MSP hike by Rs 143, farmers fear a cut in state incentive

RANIPET: Farmers fear that the state government may reduce its incentive provided for paddy as the Centre has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) by Rs 143, sources said.

The BJP government, which promised to double farm income failed to keep that promise. Today after the minor hike, a quintal of paddy will fetch farmers Rs 2,183, according to TN Vivasayigal Sangam functionaries who spoke to DT Next.

“However, more than the minor hike in MSP, what we fear is that the state government might link the present Rs 100 they provide as incentive for a quintal of paddy. They might decide to reduce it to around Rs 60 feeling that the Centre’s hike was more than enough for farmers,” Sangam’s youth wing state president R Subash said.

With the cost of all agricultural inputs rising, the MSP offered for paddy is like feeding puffed rice to appease elephantine hunger (yanai passikku sola pori in Tamil). The hike in paddy price is not commensurate with the multifold increase in the price of agricultural inputs like potash, DAP and increased cost of labour, he said.

Elaborating, Subash said, “We have been waiting for years for the implementation of MS Swaminathan Committee report which was tabled during the UPA regime. The BJP promised its implementation in their manifesto, but till date it has remained an unfilled dream with the BJP not bothering about it over the last 9 years.”

“The report clearly states that paddy prices should be fixed based on the prevailing prices of inputs during a season. The committee suggested that paddy price when fixed should be at least 50 per cent more after considering increased input prices,” he said. Whether the dream would become a reality is now a big question.