Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that producers of animal and chicken food should purchase maize at minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,400 announced by the union government.
The chief minister was chairing a meeting of animal and chicken food producers.
Noting that maize grown by farmers would be purchased through the Karnataka State Cooperative Marketing Federation (KSCMCF) Limited, Siddaramaiah said the government would bear transportation, loading and unloading costs.
The government had taken steps to help farmers battered by decreasing maize prices, adding that distilleries had already begun the process of procuring 7 lakh metric tonnes of maize, he said.
“The KSCMF has initiated the process of purchasing 50,000 tonnes of maize. Similarly, an indent will be issued to animal and chicken producing sector and the purchase of 5 lakh metric tonnes of maize will be started,” Siddaramaiah said.
In kharif season, maize has been grown on 17.6 lakh hectares, and 53.8 lakh tonnes are expected to be produced.
Of this, 50-60% maize is expected to be used as feed for chicken and animals.
According to officials, 25.89 lakh tonnes of maize is used annually as feed for chicken and animals.
Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh, Food & Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa, Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, Excise Minister R B Thimmapur and others were present.
Stir for purchase centre Farmers held a protest in the town on Monday demanding that the government should set up maize purchase centres reports dhns from Lakshmeshwar in Gadag district. They set fire to tyres during the protest on the Pala-Badami state highway and warned that they would not withdraw it till their demand was met. Hundreds of farmers had gathered at the venue of the indefinite agitation to celebrate the announcement recently on starting maize purchase centres and also performed a puja. However since there was no progress they resumed the protest and raised slogans against the district administration.