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Is Maharastra Government all set to increase the rate of farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha this year with State Cooperative Minister Harshvardhan Patil’s announcement on 29th September that – Maharastra Government will buy cotton at Govt’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme @ of Rs. 3000/- a quintal. Farmers have already spend more than Rs. 4625/- per quintal of yield, if they are lucky enough to get an average yield of 4 quintals per acre... farmers are devastated by hearing such an atrocious rate this year...
The excessive rainfall this year is going to have more adverse effect this year, many farmers feel and those who have less than 2 acres land will have no option left. I wonder how such policies are being taken without really looking at the ground realities of poor farmers. I am not an expert in the field of agriculture but basic calculations reveals the below mentioned facts:
A farmer spends the following PER ACRE on BT Cotton:
1. LABOUR: Rs.5000/- for tilling the land & sowing of seeds + Rs. 3000/- for removing weeds from the farm + Rs. 2000/- for harvesting 4 quintals of cotton = Rs. 10,000/-
2. SEEDS: Rs.1500/- for 900 gms
3. FERTILSERS: Rs. 5000/-
4. PESTICIDES: Rs. 2000/-
TOTAL INVESTMENT = Rs. 18,500/- for 4 quintals of cotton yield, if a farmer is lucky as heavy rainfall has damaged a great amount of the yield.
PER QUINTAL = Rs. 4625/-
WHAT A FARMER GETS FROM GOVT = Rs. 3000/- Per Quintal
Who will give the farmers Rs. 1625/- more to just break even with his investment?
How will his family survive if the farmer is going to lose Rs.1625/- per quintal?
Who will be blamed for taking and making such policies?
Will the Agriculture Minister & Prime Minister allow more farmers to commit suicide this year because of such policy that is against the farmers’ interest?
I only hope the Maharastra Government will change the announced rate to buy cotton this year to help the farmers survive to grow more cotton in coming years for the benefit of the nation...
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