In order to reduce the hardships of the farmers who had been hit by unseasonal rain this year, the Government has decided to buy their partially damaged wheat grains at the full minimum support price (MSP) of Rs1,450 per quintal. The Government had earlier imposed a nominal cut in the MSP or value-price to be paid to the farmers for procurement by the Food Corporation of India and State Government agencies where the quality of wheat grains were not up to the best of qualities.
Due to untimely rains and hailstorms in March-April this year, the quality of wheat has been badly affected and to facilitate purchase of affected wheat from the farmers at the MSP, the Food Ministry had given relaxation in quality norms of wheat with respect to luster loss and increase in quantum of shriveled and broken grains in various States.
While doing so, the Food Ministry had imposed a nominal value cut on wheat procured under relaxed specifications, so that, separate marking and stocking of such stock and its utilization on priority could be ensured. looking at the problems of the farmers, most of the State Governments had decided to bear the amount of this value cut themselves and not to pass this on to farmers. States also made representations to the Centre in this regard.
