Alarmed over reports of farmers throwing away their onion produce due to low prices, Madhya Pradesh government today announced that it would purchase the crop at Rs six per kilogram.
"The Government has respect for farmers who toil hard in difficult conditions. We will not allow them to suffer losses and therefore we will purchase the onion crop at Rs six per kg. I have directed officials to make all arrangements for it," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
He was addressing a programme at Tara Sewania village near here under 'Gramoday se Bharat Uday' campaign.
Farmers in various parts of the state, especially in Malwa region, have thrown away the onions on roads after failing to recover even the cost of cultivation. In some places the prices fell to as low as 30 paise per kg.
Chouhan also announced that a Farmers Welfare Fund will be set up to help them in the period of distress and directed the district collectors to make plans for formulating an agriculture policy.
Terming the 'Gramoday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan' as a unique campaign, he said it will help in formulating schemes for the development of rural areas at the village level.
He also administered an oath on the occasion to villagers on hygiene, saving water, sending children to school daily, saving electricity and making village free of liquor and drugs.
