Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda said that red-gram purchase by State through procurement centres offering minimum support price (MSP) was highest in the State’s history. He was speaking to the media at Farhatabad, Kalaburagi district, on Friday. The minister said that around 16 lakh quintals of red-gram had already been procured at an MSP of Rs. 5,500 a quintal and the quantity would reach 25 lakh quintals by the end of the season.
“The purchase of 2,51,000 quintals of red-gram worth Rs. 137 crores in 2013-14 was the highest in State’s history. Considering the expansion of red-gram cultivation area, we had planned to triple the purchase this year and made all preparations to procure 7,50,000 quintals. Since there was a great demand, we took approval from Union government to double the target to purchase 16 lakh quintals. However, that too was insufficient and we have again taken fresh approval to purchase 24 lakh quintals. By the end of the season, the procurement is going to cross 25 lakh quintals – ten times of the past record,” he said.
The minister claimed that Karnataka was the only State in the country that was adding better incentive to base-MSP being offered by Union government. “No other State in the country is giving as much incentive as Karnataka is [Rs. 450 a quintal]. It is because of State support that the red-gram growers are taking more interest in selling their crop in the State procurement centres here. Of the expected 60 lakh quintals of pulses’ procurement in the country for the year, Karantaka alone is going supply almost half,” he said. The minister also said that the State government was in discussion with Union government for extending the last date for red-gram procurement, considering the huge quantity of harvested red-gram remaining unsold.
To a question on drought relief for the rabi season, the minister said that the State government had been pressurising Union Home Ministry to convene a meeting for finalising the amount of funds to be released for drought-hit States.
“Union government is very cooperative in the issue though the proposed meeting by Home Minister has not yet taken place. Instead of misleading the people here, the State BJP leaders should put pressure on Union government led by their own party and get the funds released for drought compensation,” he said.
Earlier, the minister visited a farm-pond constructed by a beneficiary of Krishi Bhagya Somanathahalli in village scheme. He appealed to the farmers to judiciously use rainwater stocked in farm-ponds by using sprinkler and drip irrigation sets. He patiently listened to farmers’ woes and tried to answer all their questions.
