Chouhan demands lifting of ban on agri exports

Bhopal, Mar 20 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged the Centre to lift the ban on agri exports and to take steps to ensure higher price for better quality of wheat farmers.

Mr Chouhan also demanded the Centre bear the total loss to crops due to hailstorm because it had the power to impose tax besides the responsibility of public services.

He said loss of crops could not be compensated adequately through the state government's financial resources. However, it had done the best in its capacity to provide assistance.

The government had doubled the assistance money as compared to the previous Congress government.

In a statement here yesterday, Mr Chouhan said price falls when new crop comes in market and peasants do not get appropriate price.

He said the Minimum Support Price was provided to normal variety of wheat but the cost of better quality wheat produced in Madhya Pradesh was higher.

The Centre must ensure proper marketing facilities for this to ensure appropriate price to farmers.

Mr Chouhan said lifting the ban on agri exports will benefit the agriculturists.

Otherwise, the superior quality wheat will be sold at lower price. Later, when its price goes up, farmers won't be benefitted.

The Chief Minister alleged the Centre had paid Rs 1,100 per quintal for poor quality exported wheat last year.

Besides, the government had reduced import duty to zero for exporting wheat last year but the exemption had been extended for one more year despite good wheat crop.

Import duties on pulses and edible oil had also been brought down to zero. This will lead to heavy imports resulting in less price to farmers for their produce.

The Centre had also proposed to bring down the import duty on maize to zero.

Mr Chouhan alleged the Centre was taking anti-farmer steps by deciding a time-frame for crops to come in the market and stopping finance by banks on the stock of grains.

He demanded the Centre must take back these anti-farmer steps.

UNI