While welcoming the increased water release from Mettur Dam that could save the standing samba and thalady paddy crops in thousands of acres in the delta region, farmers have criticised the meagre minimum support price (MSP) and incentive for paddy to be procured by the government from the growers.
‘Realised mistake’
“Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami realised the mistake of releasing water to sections of Salem district in violation of the established principles and regulations governing the Mettur Dam water sharing in vogue since the construction of the reservoir. We were aghast that the subversion of rules took place when we, the delta farmers, were demanding water to save our standing samba and thalady paddy crops raised late in the season following the delayed opening of the dam,” said Swamimalai Vimalnathan, secretary, Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
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“We welcome the increased discharge from Mettur Dam for the benefit of delta irrigation and urge the State Government to meet our food crop irrigation demands on a priority basis,’’ he added.
However, farmers have termed the MSP and the incentive declared by the State Government as too meagre. The Central Government has fixed the MSP for super-fine quality paddy for the current season at ₹1,590 per quintal and for ordinary variety paddy at ₹1,550 per quintal.
In addition to that, the State Government has announced an incentive of ₹70 and ₹50 per quintal. Ryots have claimed that both were too little.
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Rising inputs
“The Centre must have fixed the MSP at least at ₹3,000 a quintal. The State Government must have fixed the incentive as at least ₹200 per quintal for the varieties considering the rising input costs and plight of farmers. We are disappointed on both scores and urge the governments to reconsider the decisions,’’ says V. Jeevakumar of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).