Centre committed to protect farmers: Pawar

Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, Apr 13 (UNI) The Centre was committed to protecting the interests of the farming community on the specific aspect of price realisation for agro-products, Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar said today.

In an informal chat with newspersons at the International Airport here, Mr Pawar said it was unfortunate online trading was allowed in the country for agro-products also.

On the allegations, online trading was very much affecting the farming community on price realisation, he said the government was very much aware of the constraints faced by the farmers and it would take initiatives to mitigate their problems.

Justifying the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs' decision to allow import of 1.5 million tonnes of pulses, he said the decision was taken to curb the price hike of essential commodities resulting from shortfall in production.

He said the farmers should not worry about imports as it was only temporary and would not affect them.

To a query, Mr Pawar said he was not sure when the country would attain self-sufficiency in pulses as the crops depended on rainfall.

However, the government would take requisite steps to improve the production of pulses in the country, he added.

Earlier in Thanjavur, Mr Pawar visited the famous Saraswathi Mahal Library and the art gallery established by Maharaj Sarfoji.

UNI