The executive committee meeting of the Desheeya Karshaka Samajam held in Palakkad on Saturday urged the State government to reconsider its decision to fix the procurement price of paddy at Rs.18 a kg.
In a statement here on Saturday, Samajam general secretary Muthalamthode Mani said that the farmers in the State were disappointed at the government’s decision to procure paddy at Rs.18 a kg, an increase of just one rupee from last year.
“The farmers wanted a procurement price of Rs.30 a kg. Considering the high cost of cultivation, the procurement price fixed by the government was very low. The cost of seed, fertilizer, pesticide, and labour had gone up considerably. The area under paddy cultivation in the State had shrunk considerably as paddy farming has become non-remunerative,” the statement said.
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It said a higher price and procurement at the beginning of the harvest season would help farmers extend paddy farming to more areas. The government should immediately revise the procurement price, the statement said.