Nagpur: Abdul Sattar, State Minister for Marketing, Minority Development, and Waqf, directed the officials concerned to take action against those traders purchasing cotton and soybean below Minimum Support Price (MSP).
“The Government will not allow loss to be caused to farmers. Hence, it has declared the MSP so that the farmers do not have to sell their agricultural produce at throwaway prices. A procurement system has been put in place. Still, if some traders are coming together and causing loss to farmers, action must be taken against them,” said the minister.
He was speaking during a review meeting held at Chhatrapati Sabhagruha in Collectorate here on Thursday. Dr Vipin Itankar, District Collector; Kedari Jadhav, Director General (Marketing); Sanjay Kadam, Managing Director of Agricultural Marketing Board; Atul Nerkar, General Manager of Marketing Federation; Gautam Walde, District Deputy Registrar, and other senior officers attended the meeting.
During the meeting, discussion was held on mainly cotton, soybean, paddy, tur, orange and other crops. Sattar took stock of the expected agricultural production and procurement in Nagpur district this year through the Marketing Federation at the MSP.
He took seriously the complaints about rumours being spread by traders while buying agricultural produce in the market at prices below MSP. Some are spreading rumours that there is no price for agricultural produce in international markets, the Government will not release the payment for procurement soon, sacks are not available, paucity of storage space, Government is unable to procure the produce etc.
“This is not right. Such propaganda needs to be countered. For the purpose, the officials concerned should periodically disseminate information about MSP for various agricultural products, procurement systems, facilities and security, said the minister. Sattar also took stock of the procurement of paddy in East Vidarbha.
The officials briefed him about the statistics on registration currently underway at how many places. He also discussed the current status of the orange-based industry in Vidarbha and opportunities for a new processing industry here.
Taking stock of Waqf Board, he suggested that Act of 2016 should be implemented in respect of Waqf properties. He also asked officials of the Waqf Board to submit a review every month in the presence of the Collector.
