The Andhra Pradesh Government will pay Rs 220 more to paddy farmers in the State over the Rs 1,280 a quintal announced by the Centre as minimum support price.
The farmers will get Rs 1,500 a quintal of paddy varieties that fall under the Grade A category (sonamasuri and other BPT varieties) for the ensuing kharif marketing season.
Announcing this at a press conference here on Saturday, Mr D. Sridhar Babu, Minister for Food and civil Supplies, said the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd would open exclusive centres for purchase of the Grade A varieties. “Those who want to sell the commodity at the rate can contact the district managers of the department in their respective districts,” he said.
The Government has decided to further increase the support keeping in view the demand for the sonamasuri and other BPT varieties.
“We need to encourage the farmers to grow more of sonamasuri and BPT varieties and to bring more area under these varieties,” he said.
The farmers’ associations had criticised the poor increase in MSP announced by the centre for the kharif marketing.
They alleged that the increase was too small, when compared to the sharp rise in prices of fertilisers and pesticides.