MSP hike can’t be State-specific: Shekhawat

In a big disappointment for farmers of Odisha, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday bluntly turned down any hike in the minimum support prices (MSPs) of paddy or other crops.

Shekhawat, attending a TV channel talk here, said, “Hike in the MSP of crops cannot be a means to increase the income of farmers. Hike of the MSPs cannot be State or area-specific. The move cannot be a solution to increase income of farmers as input costs are also going up proportionately every year,” he said.

He further said that by hiking the MSPs of crops, Indian produce would find no takers in the international market and the farmers’ produce would remain unsold.

The Union Minister said that reducing the input costs can be a way to lessen financial burden on farmers. “Apart from this, income of farmers can be increased by providing

MSP hike can’t be State-specific: Shekhawat right quality seed and input subsidies. Besides, the soil should be regularly tested.”

It might be mentioned that though the Odisha Government and different organisations have been repeatedly demanding for a hike in the paddy MSP to increase the income of farmers, the Union Government has been rejecting the proposals.

On the menace of brown plant hopper pest in the State, Sekhawat said the farmers here were hit by the pest menace as they were unable to get the right expert advice.

“The Thaimate pesticide, which famers used, provided fodder to the brown plant hopper pest, thereby causing greater damage to crop last year,” said the Union Minister.