Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has stated that in order to bridge the gap between the losses faced by farmers and the compensation they receive through crop insurance, these losses will now be surveyed using satellites. Addressing a gathering of farmers at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University in Nashik, Mr. Chouhan explained that when the prices of onions or other crops rise, leading to complaints from people in urban areas, the amount received by farmers does not increase.
It is the middlemen who benefit most from the higher prices. Therefore, Mr. Chouhan emphasised that the state government should establish an effective system. He also suggested that if farmers choose to sell their produce in other states, the transportation costs should be shared equally between the central and state governments, with each contributing fifty percent.
Mr. Chouhan acknowledged that there have been complaints about irregularities in the purchase of onions by agencies like NAFED. To address this, he assured that alternative systems will be set up to facilitate the procurement of onions.
He further assured that the central government is highly sensitive to the issues faced by farmers, stressing that agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy. During the event, he interacted with farmers and gathered information about their produce.