Govt to purchase maize at MSP of Rs 1,760 per quintal

Agriculture Minister B C Patil on Friday said that the state government would procure maize at Rs 1,760 per quintal.

“The maize is the most important crop in 14 districts. It was long pending demand of farmers that the government buy the maize. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has given approval for procurement,” the minister told reporters.

About 1.68 quintals of low-quality sowing seeds of maize, sunflower and cotton had been seized in Haveri, Dharwad and Ballari districts. Agriculture department officials and vigilance squad members had been directed to act against merchants selling low-quality fertiliser. Those selling the fertiliser even after the expiry date would be punished, Patil said.

The minister regretted that the police had failed to arrest people involved in the making low-quality seeds in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.

"Despite letters to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood, there has been no action. The inaction means burying farmers alive,” Patil said.

Sood was yet to act on his promise of ordering a CID probe into the sales of low quality seeds. The police should arrest the suspects even if they were highly influential, he urged.

“About 15,000 qunitals of low-quality sowing seeds are ready to be transported to Karnataka, while around 5,000 qunitals have already been loaded. The police should tighten measures at border points. About 20,000 quintals of such seeds would have entered the state had tough measures not been taken,” he said.

The minister said that the government was planning to a write to the Andhra Pradesh government in that regard.

Patil admitted that there was shortage of sowing seeds and said,” Yediyurappa has instructed in the Cabinet meeting that there should not be any shortage of sowing seeds. The government has distributed 5.87 lakh MT of fertiliser in April and May.”