Centre announces market intervention scheme for areca nut

Aimed at providing relief to areca nut growers from the price crash, the Centre has announced market intervention scheme (MIS) for the 2016 season in Karnataka. Under the MIS scheme, the government has fixed Rs 25,100 per quintal for white chali variety and Rs 27,000 for the red variety. The MIS will remain in force from December 7 to December 31.

As per the notification issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, a maximum quantity of 40,000 million tonne (28,000 tonne of chali variety and 12,000 million tonne of red variety) should be procured under the scheme.

The MIS will be implemented by Campco Ltd, MAMCOs Shivamogga, TAPCMS Sagar, APCOS Sagar and Totagar’s sales society, Sirsi. The stocks will be purchased from co-operative societies, farmers organisations or directly from growers, said the notification.

Proper mechanism should be developed to ensure that the produce is purchased from genuine farmers only. The ministry also asked the state government to set up purchasing centres in different places to implement the scheme.

Hailing the Centre’s decision, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the state government should make quick arrangements to purchase the products by setting up procurement centres. He said with MIS, the areca nut prices in market will stabilise and will benefit large number of growers in Karnataka.

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has promised to sanction Rs 160 crore financial assistance to revive Campco Ltd, said Shobha Karandlaje, the BJP MP from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru.

She also appealed to areca nut farmers to enrol themselves as member of Campco Ltd.