Potato farmers who had sold their crop at cheaper rates in the previous season are yet to get compensation under the government’s Bhavantar Bharpai scheme.Under the scheme, farmers are compensated in case their produce is sold below the secured prices declared by the government
The government gives the difference between the secured price and the average price of sale
The secured price for potato crop was Rs 600 a quintal, while a big share of the produce was sold below the secured price due to higher arrivals and stable demand
Under the scheme, farmers are compensated in case their produce is sold below the secured prices declared by the government. The government gives the difference between the secured price and the average price of sale. The secured price for potato crop was Rs 600 a quintal, while a big share of the produce was sold below the secured price due to higher arrivals and stable demand.
The farmers said due to poor prices in the market and additional charges, they failed to get the cost of production back. They have hopes on the scheme to recover the loss to some extent.
Sukhchain Singh, a potato farmer, said: “I had sold over 1,000 quintals of potato in January and the produce fetched around Rs 250 to 400 per quintal. The government should have released the compensation within two months, but it has been six months already. The compensation should be released at the earliest as farmers will start sowing the next crop around September 20.”
Rajiv Kumar, another farmer, said: “The cost of production was about Rs 600 to 700 a quintal, but the produce fetched Rs 300 to 400 per quintal. Besides this, the transportation cost was also a burden. I had registered my produce under the scheme but the compensation is yet to be received.”
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) spokesman Rakesh Bains, who had also sold his produce on cheaper rates, said: “I had sold my produce for Rs 400 to Rs 550 per quintal while the cost of production was around Rs 700-800 a quintal. We have been told that some data is being complied about the produce sold at the grain markets and it may take more time in releasing the compensation. The farmers should be compensated at the earliest as it will help them in sowing the next crop.”
An official in the Horticulture Department said the department had verified the crop and the compensation would be released by the government.
