Letters: Bail out farmers

A PPP model can work for farmers' inclusion in MSP-based procurement

With reference to “Farmers left in lurch as FCI suspends pulses procurement” (April 27), adequacy and immediacy of public procurement in accordance with the price support scheme is essential to improve buffer stock management and reduce farmers’ distress. It is observed that procuring pulses or food grains from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP) has been a daunting task for a nodal agency like the Food Corporation India (FCI). After the Decentralised Procurement Policy initiated in 1997-98, state procurement agencies have been entrusted with procurement operations. However, by and large small farmers remain “economically” and “socially” excluded from the