Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that efforts should be made that minimum price of basmati paddy in the State should not be less than other States. Safeguarding farmers’ interests is in everybody’s interest.
Chouhan was addressing a meeting of traders and millers in the context of recession caused due to fall in global demand for basmati here on Thursday.
Chouhan directed that rates of basmati paddy prevailing in all basmati producer States should be displayed daily in paddy mandis of the State. The meeting was informed that the Government has decided that such paddy produced in the State, which is sold by farmers in mandis and which is used in State’s rice mills for milling rice or for exporting outside the State, will be exempted from Mandi Cess till March 31.
The Chief Minister said that the Government has taken all necessary steps to cooperate with farmers. The meeting decided that the minimum limit of exemption from tax on paddy purchase should be increased from Rs10 crore per annum to Rs50 crore per annum. Tax will be payable only on purchase of paddy above Rs50 crore in a year.
Besides, it has also been decided to rationalize rates of paddy storage. As a result, both processors and purchasers will face no difficulty.
The meeting was informed that the state government will make initiative for branding and marketing of state’s paddy in Europe. Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Bisen, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa, Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture RK Swai, basmati traders and millers attended the meeting.