AP Govt to request Centre's help on MSP for paddy

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to ask the Centre to enhance the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy by Rs 100 per quintal for the season like the recent support declared for wheat while extending the duration of paddy procurement. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, will address a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on May 21, asking his support to increase the MSP mainly to offset the increased labour charges and input costs during the season.

The Centre had recently declared enhancement of Rs 100 per quintal for wheat, which had given a lot of relief for the farmers in the North and similar support to paddy would be timely for paddy cultivators. During the kharif season, paddy was cultivated in 22.17 lakh hectares, while it was 13.15 lakh hectares in rabi. Andhra Pradesh had become the granary of South due to wide spread paddy cultivation. The Chief Minister said the Government had taken several initiatives to offer better marketing opportunities for farm production. The Government had paid Rs 40 as bonus to every paddy grower wherein the Centre had fixed Rs 580 per quintal for the common variety.