Kerala Government to Set MSP for Five Additional Crops

The Kerala government has agreed to set a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for five additional crops. MSPs for the crops, which include yam, pumpkin, brinjal, bottle gourd, and watermelon were suggested by the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices. 

The recommendations have received preliminary approval from the Department of Agriculture. Following the establishment of the Minimum Support Price, the idea will be forwarded to the Finance Department for approval.

In 2020, the state established an MSP for fruits and vegetables. Tapioca, banana, pineapple, ash gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd, snake gourd, long beans, tomato, ladyfinger, cabbage, carrot, potato, beans, beetroot, and garlic are currently the vegetables with MSP. The MSP is calculated based on the crop productivity per hectare.

Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), Horticorp, eco-shops, and wholesale markets are among the places where the crops are purchased. Farmers must register on the AIMS (Agriculture Information Management System) portal and upload information about their crops, such as the cropping area, sowing details, projected harvest, and harvest time.

Farmers Fail to Take Benefits of MSP and Crop Insurance

Even though government agencies offered a better price than private middlemen, Jayaprakash, a vegetable farmer in Idukki district's Vattavada, which is known for vegetable cultivation, said that the delay in receiving payments from government agencies was prompting. Most of the farmers in the locality preferred to give their produce to middlemen who pay immediately.

He also stated that most farmers were not making use of crop insurance systems due to the lengthy procedures required in receiving reimbursement, particularly in the case of losses caused by animal attacks. Farmers lose mandis when they spend time in government offices, he claims. Agriculture department officials are concerned that if farmers increase their production to take advantage of the MSP benefit, procurement agencies will face a serious infrastructural crisis.

A farmer can only benefit from the MSP plan if he or she cultivates around 15 acres in a season. However, there is no restriction on the number of products that can be produced.