Ending days of speculation, the Telangana Government has decided to procure maize from the kharif harvest in the State at the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹1,850 a quintal. The State, which asked the farmers not to grow maize in kharif, was reluctant to buy it.
With unprecedented rains damaging the crops and farmers asking the government to procure the commodity, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said the commodity will be purchased by the Markfed.
He, however, asked them not to go for maize in the rabi season, cautioning them that the government will not buy it if they violated the advice this time. The CM held a review meeting on Friday to discuss the Regulated Cropping plan for the rabi season and other issues related to agriculture.
Despite the government’s advice, the farmers grew the crop on two lakh acres, which is about a fifth of the normal maize area of 10-12 lakh acres.
He said there was no market for maize as there was a glut. Stating that the Government purchased maize in the last rabi season by spending ₹1,668 crore, the Markfed incurred a loss of ₹823 crore as there were not enough takers for the commodity.
“Markfed purchased the corn at ₹1,760 per quintal. If you add procurement and transport costs, it came to ₹2,000 a quintal. But they could realise only ₹1,150,” he said.