Agri experts seek check on cheap imports, mkt reforms

Expressing concern over falling prices of commodities, agriculture experts today asked the government to help check cheap imports, provide higher support price and boost investment in the sector.
In a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, experts sought early implementation of the BJP's election manifesto promises to fix higher support prices and the setting up of 'Kisan TV' channel.
Some experts also sought a separate "agri-budget", establishment up of a debt recovery tribunal for farm loan disputes and scrapping of interest-subvention on farm loans.
"It's a long list of small things. We advocate small investments that chip away at the rough edges rather than grand gestures that don't amount to much," Bharat Krishak Samaj Chairman Ajay Vir Jakhar said in his memorandum of suggestion placed in the meeting.

Seeking lifting of restrictions on farm exports, he said that there should be maximum import duty on fresh fruit and vegetables, cooking oil and other commodities to protect domestic farmers from price fall.
He also demanded funds for agri research and development to be raised to 1 per cent of the sector's GDP, special focus on fodder and agro-forestry besides funds for increasing agri-market yards.

Putting forth the concerns of coffee, tea and rubber growers at the meeting, the United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) President Vijayan Rajes said he has sought quantitative restrictions or safeguard duties to curb rubber imports, thereby arrest sharp fall in rubber prices.

He also demanded some funds to import technological tools for coffee growers in the backdrop of falling arabica coffee variety production. UPASI also asked for concessional duties on farm implement to help plantation growers.
The Modi-government is not focusing much on agriculture, Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA) Secretary General Bojja Dasaratha Rami Reddy told reporters after the meeting.
"In the last seven months, the NDA government has done nothing in the area of agriculture. It has not yet implemented 50 per cent profits to farmers on cost of production. It has not yet launched Kisan TV channel. We have asked for early implementation of their promises," he said.

The CIFA also recommended a long-term import-export policy, a separate 'agri-budget' and concessional import duties on farm implements.
Senior officials of the ministries of agriculture and finance were at the meeting that had about two dozen experts, research and farmers bodies.