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Title: Need to increase minimum support price for paddy crop in Tamil Nadu and other parts of the Country.
SHRI SIPPIPARAI A.RAVICHANDRAN (SIVAKASI) :- Paddy cultivation is prevalent in the Southern States. In the last ten years the paddy cultivation cost per acre has increased by about Rs. 6000. Drought and price increase on fertilizers have had its impact on paddy cultivators. Paddy farmers are not able to take it any more and they are agitating in many places in Tamil Nadu. Recently the Union Government enhanced the minimum support price for wheat to the tune of Rs. 1000 per quintal. At the same time paddy is getting minimum support price which is much below. The paddy cultivation requires more of labour and remains to be labour intensive. In Tamil Nadu we are getting only Rs. 750 as minimum support price for paddy that include the share of both the Union and State Governments. Considering the severe problems faced by the paddy cultivators the minimum support price must be increased to Rupees thousand per quintal in Tamil Nadu and also other States. Steps must also be initiated to open more of paddy procurement centres to benefit the paddy farmers in the Southern States.
* Rnglish translation of the speech originally delivered in Tamil.