The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has called a meeting tomorrow to deliberate on the objections raised by the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, over export of farm commodities such as sugar and cotton.
The Prime Minister will chair two meetings tomorrow, one of them would be on agricultural products, the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, told reporters here today.
Mr Pawar had earlier said: “There is no problem on rice and wheat exports. The question comes about cotton and sugar exports. We are discussing this subject on April 30 and will take some view.”
According to sources, the meeting would be attended by the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, the Food Minister, Mr K.V. Thomas, and the Commerce Minister, Mr Anand Sharma.
However, Mr Pawar had played down the issue of differences cropping within the Government on export of farm items.
“There is nothing like that. The decision to export more sugar has been taken. All these issues (export of agri items) are decided together... There are no differences nor there is any intention to corner anyone,” Mr Pawar had earlier said when asked whether his views on export policy are not taken seriously.
Earlier this month, he had shot off a letter to the Prime Minister stating that the Government’s export policies are hurting farmers, who are being asked to subsidise the industry.
In the letter, the Minister had strongly criticised the Food Ministry, headed by Mr K.V. Thomas, and the Textiles Ministry under the charge of Mr Anand Sharma for the policies which are “ambivalent” and go against farmers.