Rs 7,000 MSP for apple, malta; 75% subsidy for vegetable farmers

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 30

The Uttarakhand government has increased subsidy for farmers and announced minimum support price (MSP) for fruits (apple, malta and galgal), traditional food crops and off-season vegetables.

The government announced an MSP of Rs 7,000 per metric tonne of apple and malta and Rs 4,000 per metric tonne of galgal. It also decided to extend 75 per cent subsidy to farmers engaged in the cultivation of off-season vegetables (for buying seeds, pesticides). Similarly, assistance for erecting fencing and subsidy on poly houses and rain harvesting has also been increased.

“Farmers growing mandva, fafar and ramdana (all coarse grains) and engaged in cluster farming will be eligible for a production bonus at the rate of Rs 200 per quintal. They will also be eligible for 75 per cent subsidy if they sow certified seeds,” said S Ramaswamy, Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, while addressing mediapersons here today. These measures were approved at a Cabinet meeting last night.

The Cabinet also announced MSP for ramdana, which would be procured by the Mandi Parishad. It also approved levying of 1 per cent mandi cess and 0.5 per cent development cess on Mentha. “It has been found that Uttar Pradesh is passing off Mentha produced in that state as Uttarakhand produce. To check this practice, we have decided to impose tax on Mentha on a par with that applicable in Uttar Pradesh,” said Ramaswamy.

Further, while clarifying the government position on giving 10 per cent horizontal reservation to identified statehood activists, Information Secretary Vinod Sharma said a committee had been formed to prepare a draft in the quickest possible time. However, he failed to give the time frame the government was contemplating for the work.