CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday hiked the procurement price for sugarcane for the current crushing season to Rs 2,850 per tonne. This includes the Fair Remunerative Price of Rs 2,300 announced recently by the Centre and the State Advisory Price of Rs 550 which, includes Rs 100 towards transportation charges.
During the last season, the price was Rs 2,650 per tonne. In a statement here, the Chief Minister said when the Centre hiked cane price, keeping in mind the welfare of farmers, her government had been fixing a State Advisory Price which was higher than the price fixed by the Centre.
“With a view to maximising sugarcane production, the government is implementing various technologies such as Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative, drip fertigation etc., Subsidy is being given to install ‘shade nets’ for increasing sugarcane production”, she said.
She also recalled that 100 per cent subsidy had been given for small and marginal farmers towards buying micro irrigation equipment while others were getting 75 per cent subsidy.
The small and marginal farmers who adopt Drip Fertigation technology have been given 100 per subsidy and others get 75 per cent subsidy. Further, the ceiling on one acre fixed for availing of the subsidy had been waived, she added.
System of Rice Intensification method is used for increasing the paddy production. Increasing the pulse production, converting arid lands into fertile lands, implementing precision farming technique, extending subsidy for drip irrigation, setting up godpowns for storing the products safely, etc were some of the measures implemented by my government. As a result, the state has been creating new records in foodgrain productionevery year”, she added.