Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said that agriculture in the state will be regulated and organised to ensure that farmers get remunerative price for their produce and they are are exploited by traders in agricultural market yards.
“From sowing of crops to transportation of agricultural produce to the markets, everything will be regulated by farmers’ coordination committees from village level to the state level. The crops will be sown in such a pattern that they meet the food needs of people. Right now, if some farmers earn profits through tomato crop, every other farmer is opting for the same. This is leading to over production, resulting in a price crash and causing loss to all. This will not be the case in Telangana any longer. We will create crop colonies in the state based on agro-climatic conditions,” Mr Rao said.
He added, “Each colony will cater to a particular crop and ensure that there is no over production of any crop.” Addressing the regional conference of Farmers’ Co-ordination Councils here, Mr Rao announced the app-ointment of Nalgonda Lok Sabha member Gutha Suke-nder Reddy as the first chairman of the State-level Farmers’ Coordination Council.
The CM announced Rs 200 crore seed fund for the state-level Council which will function like a corporation besides giving Rs 7,000 crore bank guarantee to the corporation to purchase agri produce from farmers directly for minimum support price (MSP) in case traders refuse to buy stock in the market yards.
Mr. Rao said, “The councils from village level to State level will play a decisive role on what crops would be sown in which areas and to what extent. It would also negotiate MSP with traders, when to transport agriculture produce to market yards, how many villages and which villages should be permitted to send stocks to markets in phases so that entire stocks from all villages are not dumped in markets at the same time like it is being done now which is resulting in the price crash. Traders also exploit this situation to their advantage by purchasing produce from farmers at rates lower than MSP.”
Stating that the village, mandal and district level councils will take a decision on all issues starting from the sowing of crops to transportation to market yards, Mr. Rao added, “Five to ten villages in each mandal will be clubbed together to send stocks to the markets at one time. After these sales are completed, next batch of villages will be allowed. This regulation will ensure MSP for farmers and prevent traders from exploiting farmers.”
“Even if this does not ensure MSP for some reason, the State-level Corporation will purchase stocks for MSP from farmers directly for which the government will provide Rs 7,000 cr bank guarantee”, the CM remarked.
