Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam officials want farmers to switch to maize. High demand from the ethanol industry makes the crop a major money maker. The push comes as the state aims to slash fuel imports while boosting rural income.
Congress MLA Mohibur Rahman brought the issue to the floor during the Assam Legislative Assembly Budget Session. He pointed out that farmers in his Mankachar constituency struggle to get the government-mandated price. While the Centre set the Minimum Support Price for maize at Rs 2,410 per quintal last year, local farmers currently only fetch about Rs 1,500 per quintal. Rahman demanded better procurement systems before the next season starts.
Mustard farmers face a similar squeeze. Local markets pay Rs 4,800 to Rs 5,000 per quintal, even though the official rate sits at Rs 6,200.
Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika defended the government efforts to bridge these gaps. He noted that South Salmara and Mankachar produced over 5,300 metric tonnes of maize last year. The state adds a Rs 250 incentive to the Centre's maize price and a Rs 300 incentive for mustard, bringing the effective support rate for the latter to Rs 6,500 per quintal.
Hazarika remains bullish on the sector. He claimed a farmer can make Rs 35,000 from a single bigha of maize. "The ethanol industry has created a significant market for maize. Producing ethanol domestically will help reduce fuel imports while creating additional income opportunities for farmers," he said.
The minister urged farmers to keep growing paddy but to adopt maize as a side crop to chase higher returns.
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