India: Potato growers forced to make distress sale
BHUBANESWAR: Rising potato prices due to lower production this year has been a raging political issue. However, farmers were misled by the government to cultivate the tuber last year and forced to make distress sale of their produce.
The report on economic sector for the year ending March 2015 said the directorate of horticulture facilitated cultivation of potato in various districts in 2015. The government on February 13 last year decided to purchase the produce through Markfed (in seven districts) and Nafed (23 districts).
While Markfed was to lift 8,500 MT, Nafed was assigned to procure 20,500 MT. Markfed opened procurement centres in six districts but closed them without purchase on the pretext that it did not find potato of specified size, the CAG said.
The CAG report said the government then lowered the procurement target of Markfed to 5,500 MT in three districts (Bargarh, Balasore and Jharsuguda). However, due to delay in procurement and lack of cold storage facilities, panicked farmers were forced to sell potato outside the market yard.
Fuente: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Potato-growers-forced-to-make-distress-sale/articleshow/51502869.cms
