Market rates be given to farmers: Pawar

New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) Stung by severe criticism over low procurement of wheat which necessitated the government to go in for 35 lakh tonnes imports, the govenrment has decided to change its earlier policy and pay the 'market price' to farmers to mop up the adequate stocks for the central kitty.

Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar today said since the wheat procurement during the last season was low which caused a shortfall in the stocks, a new policy assuring market price to farmers for the foodgrains would soon be finalised.

He, however, did not agree with the suggestions that the private operators, who were allowed to buy directly from farmers following amendments to the APMC Act, cornered away large stocks of wheat by paying a little more than the Minimum Suport Price (MSP) of Rs 650 per quintal during the outgoing season.

And, the government announced a bonus of Rs 50 for a quintal after the new harvest hit the market, which too, when procurement by FCI fell short of all expectations. The government remained complascent on the procurement even as FCI stocks fell below the buffer stock norms before the arrival of new crop in April this year.

The FCI procurement last season was around 9.2 million tonnes when total wheat production was officially stated over 71 million tonnes. Previously the procurment of wheat was nearly 14 million tonnes and a year earlier at 15 million tonnes. All these years, the production was around 70 million tonnes.

Mr Pawar came under criticism from his ruling alliance party Congress leaders who had said the production in the country was sufficient to meet the domestic requirments.

Broadly, the country, with 70 million tonne production, has a marketable surplus of 35 million tonnes of wheat and 18 million tonnes are required for Public Distribution System (PDS) and other govenrment-run welfare schemes.

Mr Pawar, however, did not spell out the contours of new policy.

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