Remunerative prices to farmers prompted wheat imports: Pawar

Ahmedabad, July 15 (UNI) Union Agriculture Cooperation Consumer and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar today said the government's decision to provide first 'remunerative prices' to farmers for their crops resulted in the need to import wheat.

Addressing a function to mark the merger of Cosmos Cooperative Bank and Cooperative Bank of Ahmedabad (CBA) here, he said, it was made possible after the amendment in the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act.

Mr Pawar said, the Centre's crop loan has been raised to Rs 1,50,000 crore from Rs 86,000 crore, with a view to provide 'remunerative prices' at a rate higher that 'minmum support prices'.

Referring to the merger of the two banks, he wished, it would also herald greater co-operation between Gujarat and Maharashtra, which were part of the bilibgual Bombay State before 1960, a press release issued here said.

Earlier, Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma called upon the commercial banks, particularly private sector banks, to take care of the farm sector.

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