Maize farmers left in lurch as govt vanishes from mkt

Farmers forced to sell at Rs 1,000-Rs 1,300 a quintal against MSP of Rs 2,400

- TDG NETWORK

Maize farmers across Punjab and Haryana are reeling under huge financial losses as they are being forced to sell their produce at prices nearly 50 per cent below the government-declared Minimum Support Price (MSP). Even as the Centre had fixed the MSP for maize at Rs 2,400 per quintal no government agency is stepping forward to buy maize, leaving farmers at the mercy of private traders.

According to ground reports in Punjab, farmers are managing to sell their produce only between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,300 per quintal. In many areas, private buyers are offering as low as Rs 1,000, less than half the promised MSP.

"Private traders dictate the rates. There is no government presence in the mandis," said a farmer Jasbir Singh of Patiala.

This crisis comes despite a significant increase in the area under maize cultivation in both the states as in Punjab the area under maize has reached to around 30,000 acres whereas Haryana has over 25,000 acres under maize crop this year.