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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Conference to discuss impact of de-controlled fertilizers by Gargi Parsai

Conference to discuss impact of de-controlled fertilizers by Gargi Parsai

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published Published on Mar 16, 2010   modified Modified on Mar 16, 2010


As the de-controlled fertilizer regime comes into play from April 1, the Centre has asked the States to take steps to ensure that stocks and the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of fertilizers are clearly displayed for the benefit of farmers. The States have also been asked to keep a strict vigil on “smuggling of fertilizers across the international border and deal sternly with diversion of fertilizers to non-agricultural uses.”

This, and the burning issue of enhancing production and productivity of crops particularly rice, coarse cereals and pulses, which declined due to the drought in kharif season of 2009-10, would be discussed at the national conference on Kharif Campaign, 2010, that the Centre has convened with the States on Thursday.

The meeting assumes significance as this will be the first crop for farmers under the de-controlled fertilizer regime.

The two-day conference will focus on agriculture marketing among other things, to speed up the process of reforms to facilitate investment by the private sector in development of marketing infrastructure. So far only 16 States have amended the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act that facilitates the private sector to enter the market.

The Centre has now set up a Committee of State Ministers of ‘Select States in Charge of Agricultural Marketing,' chaired by Maharashtra Minister of Marketing and Cooperation, Harshwardhan Patil, for the implementation of agricultural market reforms, for suggesting a “barrier free national market.”

The conference will assess the rabi crop and discuss kharif prospects. It will strategise on the Agriculture Ministry's flagship programmes such as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, the National Horticulture Mission, Agriculture Marketing and the availability, treatment and testing of fertilizers and seeds .

Micro-irrigation is a fairly new area taken up by the Ministry for efficient use of water. Under the subsidised Micro Irrigation Scheme (MIS), all horticulture and agriculture crops are covered except tea, coffee, rubber and oil palm.

Accelerated pulse production programmes are planned to be implemented from this kharif.

Under the Food Security Mission, production is targeted to be enhanced by 20 million tonnes in wheat, rice and pulses. Jharkhand and Assam have recently been included under the NFSM Pulses. All States have to submit plans by March 2010.

There is also a plan to expand the area under rice by increasing the cropping intensity in Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The meeting will especially focus on seed production and distribution. In 2009-10, the outlay for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna was reduced from Rs. 4067.07 crore to Rs. 3707.07 crore. For 2010-11, with the inclusion of two special components, namely the ‘Special Initiative for Pulses and Oilseeds in Dryland Areas' and ‘Bridging the Yield Gap in Eastern India,' the outlay has been enhanced to Rs. 6,722 crore.


The Hindu, 17 March, 2010, http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/17/stories/2010031763851000.htm
 

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