Farmers are getting more money for their produce now: Sharad Pawar

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today said that more money was going into the hands of farmers after the increase in procurement prices for wheat and paddy.

"We have to explain it to the people that more money is going into the hands of the farmers... The procurement price of wheat has been increased from around Rs500 to Rs1,100 and that of paddy from Rs490 to around Rs1000," Pawar said.

He said that three years ago wheat had to be imported in the country and now due to increased prices farmers are motivated to produce more, ending the shortage.

At the same time the increase in procurement prices has led to more money in the hands of farmers, bringing about a change in their lives.

"As a food minister, the problem for me is storage," he said, pointing out that there is a shortage of around 150 to 200 lakh tonne of storage space in the country.

Speaking at the national workshop on youth, organised by the youth wing of the NCP, Pawar emphasised on the need for improving the lives of the tribals to root out Naxalism.

"Where does Naxalism take place? In places where there is injustice... Where fruits of democracy do not reach. We have to change the lives of the people living in those areas by strictly implementing the schemes...There is no improvement in the life of the tribals," he said, pointing out that Naxalism is not present in cities like Mumbai and Delhi.