Open-ended procurement of wheat, rice at MSP acts as disincentive for crop diversification: Panel
NEW DELHI: A working group under the Niti Aayog said an “open-ended” procurement of wheat and rice from farmers at MSP acts as a disincentive for crop diversification, and suggested that the Centre should purchase these commodities only to meet the requirement under the food law and other welfare schemes.
The 23-member working group on ‘Crop Husbandry, Agriculture Inputs, Demand and Supply’, set up by the Aayog in 2022 under PS Birthal, director, ICAR-NIAP, was tasked to study and analyse the trends in demand and supply of major food commodities and examine the changing consumer preferences for food and related items by 2047 and make suitable recommendations.
“The open-ended procurement of rice and wheat at minimum support prices acts as a disincentive for diversification towards high-value and riskier crops.
