By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Saturday said the decision to raise the minimum support prices (MSP) for pulses and provide other incentives to farmers will boost production of pulses in the country.
“The increase which ranges from Rs.380 a quintal to Rs.700 is part of the government’s strategy to boost production of pulses in the country,” the agriculture ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said as a further incentive, farmers selling tur, urad and moong to procurement agencies during the harvest/arrival period of two months will get an additional incentive of Rs.5 per kg
(Rs.500 per quintal).
“This is likely to result in subsidy payment of Rs.1,000 to Rs.2,000 crore to procurement agencies because the procurement agencies will not add Rs.5 a kg to the cost of pulses,” it said.
Concerned over the high price of pulses, the centre is also spending Rs.837.03 crore on pulses development this year.
The government believes the rise in allocation would increase investment in pulses.
“The allocation has risen eight-fold in four years, from Rs.105.59 crore in 2007-08. The major schemes such as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and the Macro Management of Agriculture Scheme, now have special components for pulses development,” the statement said.
Under NFSM, 10 lakh hectares area in 1000 blocks would be covered in the next two years for village level demonstrations for five major crops – arhar (tur), moong, chana, urad and masoor.
“Farmers would be provided institutional support for supply of quality seed, and kits of nutrients and plant protection chemicals,” it added.
Under RKVY, Rs.300 crore have been earmarked for organising 60,000 “pulses and oilseeds villages” in the rainfed areas.
It is envisaged that productivity of pulses would increase by at least 10 percent with the implementation of this new programme.