HYDERABAD: The State government has issued orders for the procurement of red jowar from around 27,000 farmers in three TS districts by paying `2,300 per quintal.
According to the orders, officials are expecting 87,099 tonnes of red jowar. Currently the red jowar was at cutting stage. Marketing minister T Harish Rao held a review on Friday on procurement of red jowar through Markfed. The Markfed will open its centres in three districts on Monday. He directed the officials to visit the markets in Armoor area on Saturday and supervise the arrangements for the procurement.
He directed officials to issue identity cards to farmers to avoid traders and middlemen.
Meanwhile, Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Red Jowar farmers in Nizamabad district decided to take to the street once again to register their protest against the government’s unilateral decision in declaring Minimum Support Price (MSP) of `2,300. The JAC reiterated its demand that the government should increase MSP to `4,500 after consultations with farmers’ associations. Police arrested farmers in Armoor in the early hours of Friday.