TIRUCHY/MADURAI: The central government’s announcement to raise the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy (common variety) from Rs 2,183/quintal to Rs 2,300 has met with mixed response, as majority of the farmers are unhappy with the increment of Rs 117 or 5% compared to last year. Imploring the government to consider raising the MSP to Rs 3,200/quintal, farmers’ associations have argued that the raise fails to cover the ever-increasing input costs.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw released the updated MSPs in view of the kharif marketing season 2024-25, during the cabinet meeting on Thursday. While the MSP for common variety paddy was raised to Rs 2,300/quintal, that of fine variety was updated to Rs 2,320/quintal.
Tamil Nadu Farmers Association general secretary PS Masilamani, highlighted that the input cost for paddy cultivation rises annually by 30%. Calling the updated raise of 5% meagre and a deception to farmers, he said, “The union government must reconsider its announcement and raise the MSP to Rs 3,200/quintal.”
Masilamani also raised concerns around Vaishnaw’s statement that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has stocked approximately 5.34 crore tonnes of rice, four times more than the previous years, which “raises doubts whether the centre is indirectly limiting farmers from selling their produce to the government.”
Lashing out at the DMK government for allegedly failing to fulfil its poll promise of raising MSP to Rs 2,500/quintal, Bharatiya Kisan Sangam state spokesperson N Veerasekaran claimed that neighbouring states are providing MSP between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,200/quintal. “It has been three years since the DMK promised to raise the MSP to Rs 2,500/quintal during the 2021 assembly polls. The Tamil Nadu government should announce Rs 180/quintal as incentive to meet their promise,” he said.