The Agriculture and Farmers’ Empower Department has no information regarding the number of farmers who suffered financial losses due to non-increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy between 2014-15 and 2016-17, said Minister Dr Damodar Rout in the Assembly in response to a question of Congress MlA Naba Kishore Das on Wednesday.
While Das wanted to know the cost of production per quintal of paddy calculated by the State Government and the MSP fixed by the Union Government during the last four years, Rout said cost of production and MSP per quintal of paddy were Rs 1,628 and Rs 1360 (Grade A Rs 1,400), respectively, in 2014-15, Rs 2,344 and Rs 1,410 (Grade A Rs 1,450) in 2015-16 and Rs 2,344 and Rs 1,470 (Grade A Rs 1,510) in 2016-17.
The Minister informed that the information regarding the cost of production for the year 2017-18 is not available while the MSP for common paddy stands at Rs 1,550 and Rs 1,590 for Paddy (F)/Grade ‘A’.
