Date:08/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/08/stories/2008040860840100.htm

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“Import of wheat if necessary”

Sarabjit Pandher

Will ensure food security: Pawar

Sharad Pawar

CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar said here on Monday that the Union government was committed to ensuring food security in the country.

Mr. Pawar said if the demand was not met at the domestic level, the government could import wheat. It was trying to discourage farmers from selling their produce to traders just to gain Rs. 5 to 10 more than the Minimum Support Price on a quintal.

Wheat arrivals in Punjab and Haryana during 2007-08 went down by 26.31 lakh tonnes and 27.50 lakh tonnes compared to 2001-02, causing net losses of Rs. 227 crore and Rs. 245 crore respectively. Lower collection of taxes also had a negative impact on development of rural infrastructure, he said.

Mr. Pawar was talking to reporters after chairing a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The meeting, convened to review the preparations for procurement and impact of unseasonal rains on Rabi crops, was attended by Ministers and senior officers from both the States.

Mr. Pawar clarified that while there was no ban on purchase of wheat by private players, the Union government restricted some parts of the country from selling wheat crop to the central agencies.

Bonus demand

He promised to have a discussion in the Union Cabinet on the demand for bonus made by both Mr. Badal and Mr. Hooda.

On the availability of DAP fertilizers, Mr. Pawar said that though the State governments were free to take decisions on issues such as use of water, power and other inputs, the proposal to import fertilizers would have to be discussed by the Cabinet.

Mr. Pawar said a committee, comprising representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources, would be set up to find a solution to the problem of water logging in Punjab’s South-western districts that has caused major damage to cotton and wheat.

Certain remedial measures, as practised in Israel, could be taken to tackle the problem.

At the meeting, Punjab and Haryana promised to meet the targets of 80 lakh tonnes and 40 lakh tonnes of wheat procurement respectively for the central reserve.