Andhra Pradesh has asked the Centre to increase minimum support price (MSP) for paddy in order to make agriculture remunerative. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, has asked the Government to announce the bonus of Rs 120 a quintal immediately as input costs have gone up significantly, pushing cost of production significantly.

“I have written to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, Ms Sonia Gandhi and the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar on this issue. The MSP for paddy needs to be increased keeping in view sharp increase in cost of production for farmers,” he said.

Foodgrain production in the State has gone up from 133 lakh tonnes in 2004 to 210 lt in 2011. However, thousands of farmers in the State, particularly in the rice-bowl area of East and West Godavari districts, had observed crop holiday in the last kharif, protesting against poor returns.

Discussing the latest schemes launched by the State with officials on Sunday, the Chief Minister said that the Government was taking measures to link job guarantee scheme with agricultural works to address the issue of labour shortage.

Stating that the State was permitted to export 10 lakh tonnes of rice, he said the State wanted the Centre to agree for export of 15 lt of more non-basmati rice.

> kurmanath@thehindu.co.in

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