BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Thursday termed the Rs 100 minimum support price (MSP) hike on paddy by the Centre as disappointing for the farmers of the State and reiterated its demand for enhancement to 1.5 times the cost of production.
The BJD has been demanding an increase of MSP for paddy as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report and a hike of just Rs 100 per quintal is not sufficient, national spokesperson of the BJD Sasmit Patra told a media conference here.
The Centre had on Wednesday increased the MSP of common grade variety of paddy by Rs 100 per quintal for 2022-23 crop year, taking the price to Rs 2,040 per quintal. The procurement price should be at least Rs 2,930 per quintal, Patra said.
He referred to the unanimous resolution passed in the Assembly on March 25, 2017 recommending that the MSP on common paddy should be hiked to Rs 2930 per quintal. However, though five years have passed, the Centre is yet to take a decision in this regard, he said and added that all MLAs in the Assembly including BJP and Congress members had supported the resolution.
The BJD MP demanded that the Centre should also lift all surplus parboiled rice from Odisha. He said that in 2021-22 kharif marketing season (KMS), out of the 52 lakh procured rice, the State’s consumption will be about 39 lakh tonne under public distribution system and other welfare schemes. The State is likely to have a surplus of 13 lakh tonne of rice, which should be lifted immediately for smooth procurement operation, he said and added the Centre is silent on this matter.
Patra alleged that the Centre’s decision to stop lifting surplus parboiled rice will adversely affect lakhs of farmers of Odisha and that too from the western Odisha majorly. He also demanded that the Centre should release food subsidy dues of Rs 10,334 crore.