Farmers unhappy with paddy MSP announced by state govt

TIRUCHY: Delta farmers expressed dissatisfaction over the state government’s announcement of Minimum Support Price for paddy and appealed to fix it as promised in the election manifesto.

“The MSP for paddy announced by the state government appears to be similar to the recent announcement of the Union government. The increase is just an eyewash and we want the state government to fix the MSP as per the poll promise of the DMK,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

Vimalnathan said, while the farmers have been waiting for the MSP recommended by MS Swaminathan, the current hike of Rs 75 for ordinary variety and Rs 100 for fine variety is almost close to the Union government’s decision. “But the Union government has not separated ordinary variety and fine variety. They hiked Rs 100 without any differentiation, but the state government has defined the paddy into two types and we oppose it,” he said.

‘Lowest price across the country’

Stating that the Tamil Nadu farmers could get Rs 2,040 per quintal of ordinary variety and Rs 2,060 for fine variety, Vimalnathan quoted that the neighbouring Kerala was providing Rs 2,840 per quintal already and currently with the increase of Rs 100 that was recommended by the Union government, the Kerala farmers could get Rs 2,940 per quintal. Similarly, the farmers from Chhattisgarh would get Rs 2,640.

“However, the farmers from Tamil Nadu are getting the least fixation,” he charged. Meanwhile, Vimalnathan pointed out the input cost, including fertilizers, wages and the machinery rentals have increased by 23 per cent, the fixation could be compatible if the hike was made based on the increase of input cost,” he added.

Moreover, he said that the farmers have been spending more than Rs 100 per quintal in the procurement centres. “Then, the hike will never have any impact for the farmers,” he noted.