Thiruvananthapuram : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced base prices for vegetable harvests in the state. The pro-farmer scheme is first-of-its-kind to happen anywhere in the country. At a time when protests rage nationwide against centre’s anti-farmer laws, the state government comes to aid of its farming community with assured base prices for perishables, said Chief Minister.
A total of 16 vegetables have been selected for state’s base rates: ash gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd, snake gourd, string beans, tomatoes, lady’s finger, cabbage, beans, pineapple, tapioca, carrot, potato and beetroot. The base price for each vegetable is arrived at by considering the farming and labour costs that goes into the produce. A 20 percendded to such costs and base price fixed.
If there arises a situation where any of the listed produce is being dispensed below state prices, the state will credit the deficit to farmer’s account and procure the yield. The scheme will be implemented in cooperation with local self bodies and cooperative societies. Procurement at floor prices will be carried out via VPCK(Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council, Keralam), Horticorp and wholesale outlets.
There will be at least one procurement centre per district. 250 centres will open in phase-1 of the project. Farmers can directly offload their harvests at state prices at these centres. The guaranteed price benefit will apply to only yield from 15 acre per farmer in any given season.
In cases, where sale price is short of floor rate, the deficit will be made available through primary cooperative societies to the concerned farmer. For this purpose, committees shall be formed comprising local-self body President and Chairman, and primary cooperative society President and Vice President. All yields procured under the scheme, will be sold under the brand name “Jeevani - Kerala Farm Fresh Fruits and Vegetables”.
