The newly-elected Congress government in Karnataka is facing the challenge of securing rice supplies to fulfil its electoral promise. In response, farmer leaders and experts have proposed an alternative solution for the state to explore. They suggested that Karnataka should consider procuring millet such as ragi and jowar directly from local farmers at the minimum support price, instead of relying on rice from other states.
This proposed approach aims to not only address nutritional security but also incentivize farmers to cultivate more millets. Ragi is predominantly consumed in the southern regions of the state, while jowar is popular in the northern districts. By procuring these cereals locally and distributing them to beneficiaries, the government can encourage farmers to increase their production of millet. This, in turn, could create employment opportunities within the state.
Chamras Malipatil, the President of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), emphasized the benefits of this strategy and advocated for the government to procure ragi and jowar directly from local farmers. Kurubur Shantakumar, another prominent farmer leader, echoed this sentiment.
Prakash Kammaradi, an agricultural economist and former chairman of the Karnataka Agriculture Prices Commission, supported the idea of providing 5 kg of jowar/ragi in addition to rice under the public distribution system. This approach would not only address nutritional security concerns but also serve as a signal to farmers at the beginning of the kharif cropping season, encouraging them to cultivate more of these coarse cereals.
