Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission (KAPC) on Friday strongly recommended to the state government to set up a revolving fund to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore to help farmers to procure their produce.
Speaking to reporters after submitting the report "Cost of Cultivation of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops, quantity of production, present status of market prices and analysis of the recent Market Acts - 2019-2020" to the Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa here, the KPC chairman, Hanumanagouda Belagurki, said that there is urgent need for any government to protect the interests of the farmers.
"The products must be purchased from their farm land itself. Therefore, the state needs to constitute a revolving fund. Though the state government at present has set up a revolving fund but it is insufficient. It needs to be increased at least to Rs 5,000 crore," he said
Apart from this, the state government should also establish Karnataka Horticulture Federation on the lines of National Dairy Development Board or Karnataka Milk Federation to help farmers to sell their produce, he explained.
According to Belagurki, Mobile Purchase Centres are must to manage and purchase these commodities at Minimum Support Price through farmers.
While commending the Commission's work, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa directed the officials concerned to take steps to implement the recommendations made by the commission.