Procurement mechanism needs to be strengthened: Kammaradi

Chairman for Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission (KAPC) T N Prakash Kammaradi, on Saturday, said that the procurement mechanism of agriculture produce needs to be strengthened.

He was speaking during a round-table discussion on ‘Changing Structure of Agricultural Marketing in Karnataka’, organised by MYRA School of Business in Yelwala here.

He said, “Procurement needs to be strengthened to do justice to consumers as well as farmers. While farmers should get high price for their produce, consumers should get quality produce  at a fair price.”

Kammaradi said, “Only 41 per cent of agricultural produce are being sold at Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) in the state, while the rest are being sold at villages to private traders. Even after 60 years, we could not bring at least 60 per cent of the produce under market purview. The market should go to farmers rather than farmers coming to the market. This could bring a large quantity of produce under the market purview.”

He said the present minimum support price (MSP) prescribed for crops by the Centre was inadequate and did not meet the actual expenses of farmers.

“The state government should take measures to prevent the sales of agricultural produce below MSP in APMCs by giving statutory status to MSP. Many crops like onion and coconut do not get MSP,” he pointed out.

Kammaradi told educational institutions to have an official tie-up with KAPC to boost the farming sector.

Managing Director of Rashtriya e-Market Services (ReMS) Manoj Rajan, former director of Institute of Development Studies, the University of Mysore, H S Gopala Rao, former director of Madras Institute of Development Studies V K Nagaraj, former vice chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences P G Chengappa and former chairman of KAPC S Bisaliah were present.