Don't Succumb To Millers: Lok Satta To Govt.

The Lok Satta Party, on Monday, said that it wanted the government to stick to its July 2012 commitment to buy fine variety of paddy directly from farmers - at Rs. 1,500 a quintal, including an incentive of Rs. 220 over the minimum support price.

In a media statement, Lok Satta party secretary and Federation of Independent Farmers' Association convenor P Bhaskara Rao warned the government against succumbing to millers' pressure against its intervention in the paddy market.

Rice millers reportedly claim that they alone can render justice to the farmer, by lifting paddy with moisture higher than the stipulated level, unlike the government.

Bhaskara Rao pointed out that if the government enlightens farmers on the stipulated moisture content, and assures them of loans against produce stored in local warehouses, they would not resort to distress sales.

"Once the government enters the market, there will be competition between it and the millers for paddy purchases, resulting in the farmer getting a fair price for his produce," he said.

He added that if a government agency procures paddy directly from farmers, gets it processed into rice, and utilizes it for the PDS (public distribution system), both farmers and consumers stand to gain.

Bhaskara Rao also demanded that the government publish the findings of its study on paddy marketing policies in Chattishgarh and Punjab. (INN)