KMF to procure maize directly from farmers

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) would be asked to directly procure maize from farmers, to ensure fair price to the growers.

Speaking to reporters here, Kumaraswamy said that the government had set aside Rs 50 crore for the procurement of the produce by KMF from the farmers.

Kumaraswamy said that maize was usually procured by private players at Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 per metric tonne (MT), while KMF would be asked to purchase it at Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 per MT.

He said that the government hoped that the KMF’s intervention would result in private players paying higher procurement rates.

Around 54.38 lakh MT of maize, which is presently under cultivation, will be harvested by the end of the year, he added.