Lucknow: Yogi government has started three important schemes to provide relief to the potato farmers of Uttar Pradesh from fluctuating market prices and increasing farming costs. Through these schemes, farmers will get financial help in the production cost of potatoes, storage and purchasing quality seeds. The government has made a provision of Bhamashah Bhav Stabilization Fund of Rs 1000 crore for this.
Will get financial help if the price of potatoes falls
Price Stabilization Scheme has been implemented to compensate the losses incurred by farmers due to fall in the market price of potatoes. A committee headed by the Agricultural Production Commissioner will decide the production cost of potatoes.
After this, if the price of potatoes in the market remains less than the fixed cost, then subsidy will be given to the farmers. This assistance will be decided on the basis of 25 percent of the production cost or the difference between the production cost and the selling price, whichever is lower.
Subsidy on private cold storage also
To save them from the compulsion of selling the crop at low prices, the government has also decided to provide relief to the farmers who keep potatoes in private cold storage. Under the scheme, farmers will get maximum assistance up to Rs 100 per quintal on storage charges. The limit of total subsidy received by a farmer has been fixed at Rs 20 thousand. With this, farmers will be able to keep their produce safe for some time and wait for better prices.
Up to Rs 1000 discount on good seeds
Under the third scheme, emphasis has been laid on providing better quality potato seeds to the farmers. Farmers will get a maximum discount of up to Rs 1000 per quintal on the selling rate of seeds based on the department. The government believes that the use of certified and quality seeds can improve both the yield and quality of potatoes.
Support to farmers from production to sale
The objective of these three schemes is to provide financial security to the farmers at different stages of potato cultivation. According to the government, the help provided from purchasing seeds to storing crops and selling them in the market will reduce the impact of sudden fall in prices on farmers.