Farmers unhappy, not getting right price for produce: Gadkari

Farmers are unhappy in the country as they are not getting the right price for the produce, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today, pitching for change in the crop pattern for better returns.
He also said prices of pulses have risen, but the rates will come down from January-February as domestic production is expected to be higher.
"The farmer is unhappy as he is not getting proper price for his produce. We need to change the crop pattern," Gadkari said at the Indian Women's Press Corps here.
Farmers are in a "poor condition" as they are getting Rs 16-17 per kg for wheat and rice while in Mumbai, the ash to clean utensils is Rs 18 per kg, he said.

Asserting that farmers should do intelligent planning for crops, Gadkari said there is a need to diversify agriculture towards energy and power sectors.
On pulses, Gadkari said, "Dal prices have shot up. Plantation was four times more. This year, production will grow thrice or four times. After January-February, dal prices will come down and we will have to export it."

He said there is no "food scarcity" in the country as there is surplus supply of rice, wheat and sugar.
He also said water level has gone down in nine states and there is a need to conserve water on a large scale.

In the last few months, pulse prices in most retail markets have risen up to Rs 150 per kg due to shortage of 2 million tonnes in the 2014-15 crop year (July-June) due to poor rains.