The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : State urged to give subsidy to millets

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Thursday, Jun 23, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

State urged to give subsidy to millets

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Millet Network of India, an association that works with millet farmers, has written to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy expressing concern over the government's move last week to provide input subsidy of Rs. 5,000 an acre for maize farmers while neglecting millets that could play a vital role in ushering food and nutrition security.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, P.V. Satheesh, convenor of the Network and Director, Deccan Development Society, said that the development was cause for serious concern and wondered if the decision was taken with farmers' welfare in mind or whether it was part of the global food politics, where maize was the new weapon for genetic engineering and agro-fuel production.

Industrial crop

Mr. Satheesh said use of maize in India was more as an industrial crop than as a food crop, with just about 35 per cent being used for human consumption. The potential of maize to produce bio-fuel was what was attracting the State to declare supportive policies. Taking a careful view of the crisis that millet crops were in, steps are needed to boost millet cultivation and consumption, including provision of input subsidy of Rs. 10,000 per hectare for millets, he added.

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Andhra Pradesh