ITDA Project Officer Venkateswar Salijamula has said that the minimum support price, fixed by the government, will be given to the tribal farmers for the paddy and finger millets (ragulu) produced by them.
He said that the finger millets and paddy would be purchased through Velugu VOs, under the auspices of Markfed at the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) from November 2.
He appealed to the tribal farmers not to approach middlemen to sell their produce but to sell them at the RBKs.
At a meeting with officials of the Agriculture, Velugu, Markfed and chairman of Market Committees on Friday, Dr. Venkateswar said that the price of finger millets was fixed at ₹3,295 a quintal and paddy at ₹1,860. He called upon Agricultural Assistants and Village Volunteers to create awareness among tribal farmers on selling their produce at the RBKs.
The government was paying more than the price being paid to tribals by middlemen at the weekly shandies. He said that it was the responsibility of the agricultural officers to ensure that the tribal farmers got Rythu Bharosa.
He said that Forest Right pattas were distributed to 48,000 tribal families and each farmer should be given ₹13,500 as rythu bharosa.
Later, Paderu Agriculture Market Committee Chairperson M. Gayatri Devi, Araku Valley Chairperson K. Anita and Chintapalli Chairperson J. Haliya Rani were felicitated by the Project Officer.
