The Hindu : Maize procurement to begin in Shimoga

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Maize procurement to begin in Shimoga

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA Sept. 14. The Deputy Commissioner, Tushar Girinath, has said that the district administration has made arrangements to implement the Market Intervention Scheme for maize grown this season.

He told presspersons here on Friday that the administration had taken steps to ensure that farmers did not go in for distress sale of maize as arrangement had been made to purchase the stock and store it in godowns.

He said the minimum support price for maize had been fixed at Rs. 505 a quintal as against the Rs. 495 fixed last year.

Mr. Girinath said necessary arrangements were being made to make use of all godowns in the district, which had a total storage capacity of one lakh tonnes, while the yield this year was expected to be about 2.5 lakh tonnes. He said the district administration of Davangere would be requested to spare godowns at Chennagiri to store maize.

The Deputy Commissioner said the private stock of maize stored in public godowns would be lifted to store fresh stock. He said three more purchase centres would be opened at Shiralkoppa, Anavatti, and Anandpuram, in addition to the two centres at Shimoga and Shikaripur as maize production was expected to increase steeply this year. The procurement of maize would commence on October 29 and continue for 100 days.

Mr. Girinath said maize growers could sell their produce anywhere in the district if they were assured of a better price. However, he made it clear that farmers from other district were barred from selling their produce in the district.

He said the purchase of maize would begin after issuing identity cards to farmers specifying the dates on which they should bring their produce to the purchase centres.

He said the district administration had furnished necessary details to the insurance company regarding the queries raised by it with regard to the variations in the crop pattern.

He said crop insurance worth Rs. 75 crore was yet to be settled.

He warned that strict action would be taken against moneylenders if they were found to have charged exorbitant rates of interest on agricultural loans under the provisions of the Ordinance promulgated by the Governor.

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Southern States