JAIPUR: Chief minister
Vasundhara Raje writes to the Centre seeking consent for launching market intervention scheme (MIS) for
onion and
garlic in the state.
She said, due to bumper production of these crops, the prices have fallen and the farmers were at the receiving end. Raje in her letter to Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said that the government of Rajasthan has been promoting cultivation of garlic and onion as part of its diversification strategy of agriculture in the state with the objective of doubling farmer’s income.
“The net area under garlic in Rajasthan has increased from 69.10 thousand hectares to 127 thousand hectares in 2017-18. The production of garlic has also doubled from 3.77 lakh MT to 7.7 lakh MT this year. Similarly, the production of onion has increased from Rs 11.50 lakh MT last year to 13.20 lakh MT this year,” the letter pointed out.
Chief minister said that since the market prices of onion and garlic were less than the cost of production the state government had operated the market intervention scheme in the previous year. “This year, again the price realization for garlic is in the range of Rs 20-30 per kg and in the case of onion it is at Rs 5-7 per kg. These rates do not even cover the cost of cultivation,” she said.
Under the circumstances, there is considerable unrest among the family community. Accordingly the state government has decided to operate the market intervention scheme (MIS) through RAJFED/NAFFED for procurement of garlic and onion in the state, the letter said. As per the MIS guidelines, the letter noted that, “If there are losses of up to 25% of the procurement cost, the same shall have to be shared in the ratio of 50:50 between the Centre and the state.”
She said, since the matter is of greater urgency, give consent at the earliest so that the scheme could be launched soon. Agriculture minister Prabhulal Saini said, in keeping with the spirit of the Union budget speech the farmers would be paid 1.5 times the cost of cultivation of the crops. He said, the guidelines to this effect is being awaited.
