SHILLONG, March 15: The Opposition on Tuesday demanded of the government to fix a minimum support price (MSP) on select products, arguing that doing so would not only help farmers better their per capita income but will also give a fillip to their productivity.
Moving a zero-hour notice, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA HM Shangpliang lamented that farmers have been writing to the government seeking MSP on products as the price they receive for their produce is low against the time and labour they invest.
He also lamented that urea, which was being sold for Rs 450 per kg earlier, is now being sold for Rs 1,000-1,800 per kg, thereby affecting the farmers.
Informing the House that farmers have incurred huge losses due to hailstones and floods, the AITC MLA asked the government to render immediate relief to them.
In his response, Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh informed that the government is providing relief to the farmers through NDRF and SDRF.
He also informed the House that the estimated crop damage for the year 2020-21 is around 12,000 hectares affecting more than 28,000 farmers.
Based on the assessment of damage, department has made a report at an estimate of about Rs 15 crore and submitted it to Union Government for its sanction, the Agriculture minister said.
He also informed the House that as per survey report of National Statistical Office, the average income of farmers in Meghalaya is Rs 29,384 per month, which is highest in the country.
On the other hand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Kyrmen Shylla, informed the House that Rs 9.7 lakh has been sanctioned as compensation to farmers under Bhoirymbong Block, Ri-Bhoi, whose fields were destroyed by flash floods in 2020.