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Title: Need to formulate a comprehensive policy to regulate procurement procedure of opium in order to safeguard the interests of opium cultivators in the country.
SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH (JHALAWAR):Opium growers in the country are held back from economic gains in cumbersome procurement procedure set by the Union Government. First the Government Opium and Alkali Factories procure the produce, then export it to big pharma companies for further medicinal processing. The same drug processed in such Multinational companies are sold back in the country at many fold Prices.
In the larger interest of the country as well as of the opium cultivators, the Government must provide indigenous set-ups for the Pharma Processing of opium. At the same time when processed opium is being exported, the farmers must be ensured fair prices. It could be possible if the Government can draw a mechanism where the linkage between suppliers and Pharma companies are based on free market price behaviours.
Hence, I demand a sustainable and fair opium policy from Government of India.