Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Aug 30: "The Agriculture Price Commission was setup by the state government on January 31 this year to fix scientifically suitable prices for agricultural products. This was established to reserve maximum share in food crops grown by farmers, for sustainable development of agriculture in the state, to fulfill the demand of food security requirements, and to provide a proper market to agricultural products," said Prakash Kammaradi, chairman, Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission.
He was addressing the press meet at the DC office on Saturday August 30.
"In order to support and attract areca growers, KAPC (Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission) will give importance to online trading of arecanut through APMC in the coming days. In the district, there is 50 lac tonne production of arecanut but through APMC, only 5 lac tonne is procured," he said.
"If farmers replace paddy with other commercial crops, then for sure paddy production will decline in the district and there will be shortage of food crops," he added.
"The state government has demand for buying 10 lac tonnes of jowar-ragi due to shortage of cultivation. There is even demand for beaten rice. The state government intends to incorporate ragi and jowar under the Anna Bhagya scheme," he said.
“KAPC will also give importance to production cost, responsibilities of market, short and long term agriculture, and horticulture crops according to environment and make recommendations to the government about profitable cultivation. It will give importance to creating systematic market facility, warehouses, transport facilities, preservation, grading, and packaging; helping the government to create basic facilities; informing the government on time about the various problems faced.
Suggestions will also be made to the government about fixing proper price for agriculture and horticulture food crops, cultivation of monsoon-based crops, nutritious, utilization of resources, as well as proper measures for sustainable agriculture and food security. Reliable information about the market will be provided to the farmers," he said.
On this occasion, DC A B Ibrahim and horticulture department deputy director Yogish were present.