During the implementation of the farmer’s Bill government has mentioned they will be providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the crops to the farmers. Hence following the same the Andhra Pradesh Government announced their minimum support price (MSP) for the current sowing season for 24 agriculture products like chilli, turmeric, sweet orange, minor-millet, banana, and onion for the year 2020-21, which the government will be buying from the farmers to assure them a minimum support price. However, this is the first time government has announced MSP for the above-mentioned products.
The procurement season for all the crops has been confirmed; further officials said that the State government has announced a hostile procurement policy. In 2019, it procured commodities worth Rs 3,300 crores through MSP operations. Due to the COVID-19 situations this year, they have come up with the establishment of procurement centers in each village called, Rythu Bharosa kendras(RBKs).
Fortunately, Andhra Pradesh is likely to be the first state where a farmer doesn’t need to go out of the village to sell his produce. Moreover, Farmers will be given a guarantee that in case of the absence of competitive price, their crop will be purchased as per the MSP announced.
Agriculture Marketing special commissioner P.S. Pradyumna, informed that in special cases procurement will be carried forward from the farm.
This year procurement will start from October 15, and the government is expecting to procure about 3 to 3.5 lakh metric tone of produce in 2020-21. Small and marginal farmers will get priority in the crop procurement process and government assures even in the situation of an uncompetitive price the government will purchase their crops. Still, pradyumna pleads to farmers to bring their produce for procurement with minimum standards. Also as per the requirement, the government could buy the farmer’s produce through RBKs to strengthen competition.
Therefore, empowering the government to buy their produce, farmers are required to register their details on e-Karshak and get themselves enrolled with Village Agriculture Assistants or Village Horticulture Assistants in RBKs to sell their produce.
