State to provide support price to farmers

SHILLONG: Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh criticised the previous Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA-II) for failing to address the grievances of farmers.
Pointing to the plight faced by farmers at the hands of middlemen, the minister told reporters that till date the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has not been implemented in the state even as the MSP was announced by the Centre in the mid 1960s.
“The present government is preparing to introduce the Minimum Support Price in the state which will address the problems of farmers,” Lyngdoh said.
He added that there is a need to support the farmers as the market for agricultural produce is very poor and there is a need to identify such crops that will be covered under MSP.
Lyngdoh also said along with MSP, the state government is also making way for the Agricultural Policy. “The agricultural prices dipped as the farmers are being harassed by middlemen and big-time dealers,” he added.
He urged the farmers to be united so that they can fight against the frequent harassment by the middlemen.
On the other hand, Lyngdoh said the state government is also upbeat about the potential of organic farming in the state, adding “For this, soil testing for organic farming is being done.”
He maintained that chemical fertilizers will not be encouraged and organic fertilizers are being introduced to farmers.