UP govt to open potato procurement centres in 10 districts

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the opening of potato procurement centres in 10 districts to provide relief to farmers, with operations commencing from Tuesday in Lucknow and Farrukhabad, according to an official statement. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing and Agricultural Export Dinesh Pratap Singh issued the directions during a review meeting of the horticulture department. The statement said the Uttar Pradesh State Horticultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (HOFED) had been tasked with setting up procurement centres in 10 districts. Lucknow and Farrukhabad were prioritised, and procurement began on Tuesday. Additional Chief Secretary (Horticulture) B L Meena inaugurated the centre at Indaura Bagh in Bakshi Ka Talab, Lucknow, while Horticulture Director B P Ram inaugurated the centre at the Sattanpur mandi committee in Farrukhabad. The procurement is being carried out under the market intervention scheme of the Union Agriculture Ministry. The minister directed that centres be opened on a priority basis in districts where market prices of potatoes are low to ensure farmers get a fair price for their produce. Under the scheme, the market intervention price has been fixed at Rs 650.09 per quintal, with an overhead cost of Rs 162.52 per quintal. The maximum compensation limit has been capped at 25 per cent of the total procurement cost, to be shared equally by the Centre and the state. He also instructed that procurement centres be set up in other districts in a phased manner to benefit more farmers. The move comes days after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP-led government, alleging that despite fixing a price for potatoes, procurement was not taking place, causing losses to farmers. Addressing reporters, Yadav claimed that facilities extended to farmers during the SP government had been withdrawn by the present dispensation. He also said that initiatives such as mandis along expressways and potato markets in Kannauj had not progressed further. ''When farms prosper, the country prospers,'' he said.

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