MUMBAI: Even as the price of tur dal across the state continues to fall steadily below the minimum support price(MSP), many key pulse market yards across the state remain shut.
The reason for the suspension of trade is the traders' demand that the government pay the farmers the additional relief grant of Rs 425 it had declared while the farmers were agitating for a better price for the crop. This has prompted the government to issue notices to the traders who are purchasing the lentil below the MSP.
The imbroglio has resulted in huge losses and inconvenience to the farmers.
Maharashtra is one of the major tur-producing states in the country and had a bumper crop this year. Tur dal production in the state is estimated at 11.71lakh metric tonnes against 4.4 lakh met ric tonnes the previous year. The area under tur also rose last year. A total area of 15.33 lakh hectare was under tur in 2016 against 12.37 lakh hectare in 2015.
The MSP for tur dal is Rs 5,050 per quintal, but farmers are getting only Rs 4,200-4,300 per quintal, prompting them to complain to the government.The state government started taking action against such traders with market yards committees in Parbhani, Latur, Akola and Hingoli--key markets for pulses in the state--issuing notices to them.
"Following notices to the traders, they stopped purchase of tur dal at the market yards. Farmers are being shortchanged despite having a good crop year. Another issue for keeping the markets shut relates to the additional grant," said a Latur APMC committee official.
"If the government threatens action against the traders they hold us to ransom and stop the purchase," said Aashirwad Warpe, an affected farmer from Latur.
The reason for the suspension of trade is the traders' demand that the government pay the farmers the additional relief grant of Rs 425 it had declared while the farmers were agitating for a better price for the crop. This has prompted the government to issue notices to the traders who are purchasing the lentil below the MSP.
The imbroglio has resulted in huge losses and inconvenience to the farmers.
Maharashtra is one of the major tur-producing states in the country and had a bumper crop this year. Tur dal production in the state is estimated at 11.71lakh metric tonnes against 4.4 lakh met ric tonnes the previous year. The area under tur also rose last year. A total area of 15.33 lakh hectare was under tur in 2016 against 12.37 lakh hectare in 2015.
The MSP for tur dal is Rs 5,050 per quintal, but farmers are getting only Rs 4,200-4,300 per quintal, prompting them to complain to the government.The state government started taking action against such traders with market yards committees in Parbhani, Latur, Akola and Hingoli--key markets for pulses in the state--issuing notices to them.
"Following notices to the traders, they stopped purchase of tur dal at the market yards. Farmers are being shortchanged despite having a good crop year. Another issue for keeping the markets shut relates to the additional grant," said a Latur APMC committee official.
"If the government threatens action against the traders they hold us to ransom and stop the purchase," said Aashirwad Warpe, an affected farmer from Latur.
