Paddy farmers in Kerala are discontented with the State government’s reluctance to increase the paddy procurement price. The price has remained unchanged at ₹28.20 a kg since 2022-23.
In 2021-22, the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco), the agency responsible for purchasing paddy from farmers across the State, procured it at ₹28 a kg. This included the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹19.40 provided by the Union government and ₹8.60 as the State’s share. However, a year later, when the Centre increased the MSP by ₹1 to ₹20.40, the State hiked the overall price by only 20 paise to ₹28.20, reducing its contribution to ₹7.80. In 2023-24, when the Centre raised the MSP by another ₹1.43, the State cut its share by an equivalent amount, keeping the procurement price the same.
With paddy procurement for the first crop season of 2024-25 now in full swing, farmers had expected a price increase. Though the Centre raised the MSP for 2024-25 by ₹1.17 to ₹23 in June, there seems to be no hike forthcoming in the State. “It is up to the State government to decide on a price hike. We don’t yet know whether the government plans to increase the price for 2024-25 or keep it the same as the past couple of years,” said a Supplyco official.
The State government began reducing its share in 2021-22. Between then and 2023-24, it cut its contribution by ₹2.43. If it decides against increasing the procurement price in 2024-25, the State’s share will fall to ₹5.20.
Better prices in State
According to government sources, paddy farmers in the State get better prices than in other States. However, farmers argue that high production costs and unpredictable weather conditions make paddy farming a loss-making venture.
“Earlier, the State used to increase its share proportionately with the MSP. In recent years, however, it not only stopped increasing its contribution but began slashing it. Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the Centre increased the MSP by ₹4.32, but in Kerala paddy farmers received a hike of 72 paise during the period as the State cut its share. The government has let the farmers down,” said Chackappan Antony, president of the 320-acre Aivelikkad paddy polder in Kuttanad.
‘Yield has fallen’
Soneychen Pulinkunnu, general secretary, the Nel Karshaka Samrakshana Samiti, said that if the State government had not cut its share in recent years, paddy farmers in the State would now be receiving over ₹32 a kg. “The attitude of the government is forcing farmers to quit paddy farming. From 7.48 lakh tonne in 2021-22, the yield fell to 5.59 lakh tonne in 2023-24,” Mr. Soneychen said.
Besides ₹28.20, farmers are entitled to receive 12 paise a kg as handling charges.
Published – October 17, 2024 06:48 pm IST
