NEW DELHI: The Union Food and Public Distribution Ministry on Tuesday urged State Governments to ensure payment of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for procurement of foodgrains during the kharif marketing season 2006-07.

In a letter addressed to Food Secretaries of States and Union Territories, Union Food Secretary T. Nanda Kumar underlined the need for directing all procurement agencies to create awareness among farmers about the MSP scheme, names of procurement agencies, particulars of procurement centres and FAQ (Fair Average Quality) specifications.

He also asked State Governments to organise publicity about the support price for kharif foodgrains through print and visual media as well as banners and pamphlets.

For 2006-07, the MSP for paddy has been fixed at Rs. 620 a quintal for `Common' variety and Rs. 650 a quintal for the Grade `A' variety of paddy which includes an incentive bonus of Rs. 40 a quintal. These prices will be available to farmers in Punjab, Haryana and Kerala from September 25, 2006 to March 31, 2007. In other States these rates are valid from October 1, 2006 till March 31, 2007.

The Ministry of Food and Public Distribution had been making efforts to create awareness among farmers regarding the MSP scheme to avoid distress sale of foodgrains. According to a report of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), 2003, the awareness among farmer households in the country about the MSP was extremely low.

While only 19 per cent of farmer households were aware of MSP and the details of agency for procurement, only 10 per cent were aware of the concept of MSP but not of the national level procurement agency, the report said.

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