Port Blair, Nov 19: Mr. Vishal Jolly, the National Executive Member BJP & Former State President BJP, Andaman and Nicobar Islands unit has requested for ground level implementation of Minimum Support Price for Copra, in this Union Territory.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Chief Secretary, A & N Administration Mr. Vishal Jolly mentioned some vital issues pertaining to ground level implementation of the scheme of Minimum Support Price (MSP) on COPRA (an agricultural produce of Coconut) at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
He mentioned that the entire Tribal population of Nicobar group of Islands relies solely on the coconut produce for their livelihood and the sale of Copra is the only source of income for the tribal population to meet their daily essential needs.
He added that the educational expenses of their children, marriages and every other thing is solely dependent upon the sale of Copra.
Mr. Jolly pointed out that Copra being the sole bread earner of the Tribal community of Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Chowra, Terrasa, Campbell Bay and other Islands, the minimum support price of the same are fixed by the Government of India for the benefits of all farmers dealing with COPRA.
To support the farmers, GOI from time to time announces a minimum price support scheme in the month of December every year for a period of next one year. Last year also the MSP was announced in the month of December 2021, but till date the same has not found being implemented on ground level and none of the farmers dealing with COPRA are availing the benefits which the Government of India has formulated for their welfare.
Under the above circumstances the tribal farmers are compelled to sell their produce to local vendors at very meagre prices of Rs. 35/- to Rs. 39/- per kilogram whereas the MSP fixed by the GOI is Rs. 105.90 per kilogram.
He mentioned that the farmers are facing undue harassment and are made to suffer unbearable loss of their agricultural produce due to this issue.
Mr. Jolly requested the PM, HM and CS to intervene into this issue in order to ensure that every farmer living at every isolated Islands of Andaman & Nicobar are equally and largely benefited by receiving the maximum value of their agricultural produce.