The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : CM to adopt new strategy on MSP

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Friday, Nov 02, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

CM to adopt new strategy on MSP

Ravi Reddy

HYDERABAD: The cost of cultivation of paddy for each hectare is more than that of wheat as it requires more fertilizers and pesticides. This is the line that Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy is planning to adopt when he pitches for a hike in the MSP for paddy with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

He has decided to put forth AP’s case by arguing about the cost aspects of growing paddy without attempting to draw a comparison with wheat. The per hectare cost of paddy cultivation in AP works out to Rs. 24,000, as the utilisation of fertilizers is very high.

“The cost of cultivation in Andhra Pradesh varies from region to region and district to district. It will be better to argue the case on the ground of high costs, rather than comparing the MSP with wheat,” say sources in the Chief Minister’s office. “Though the proposal for MSP of Rs 900 was good, the Chief Minister wants to seek some more enhancement,” the source added.

The Chief Minister is expected to refer to the M. S. Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations also to strengthen the case for higher MSP. Having failed to muster the support of other paddy-growing States, he has decided to pursue the case independently. Letters seeking support for AP’s cause had already been written to his counterparts in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Unlike Andhra Pradesh, other paddy growing States have various advantages in cultivation. In West Bengal, abundant availability of water has made it easy for high yield of paddy. With mere 1-lakh electrical pumpsets, it was producing 15 million tonnes of paddy, whereas Andhra Pradesh clocks a production of 11.50 million tonnes with 25-lakh pumpsets.

APCC chief

Dr. Reddy is also scheduled to discuss with AICC president Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders in New Delhi the name of the next APCC president. AP’s Special Representative in New Delhi, Mallu Ravi, is considered the frontrunner for the post though the names of Rajya Sabha members Nandi Yellaiah, V. Hanumantha Rao, State Ministers Ponnala Lakshmaiah, D. S. Redya Naik and Sambhani Chandaresekhar are also doing the rounds.

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