Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar says, the price situation will ease in the coming days with good prospects of rabi crop coupled with increasing availability of sugar and pulses from abroad. He also said, India being an agriculture dependent economy, farmers should get proper prices. Seeking to take the wind out of the opposition attack over high prices of essential commodities, he said in an interview to PTI that several non-Congress governments have written to the Centre for enhancement of the Minimum Support Price fixed for paddy, an important ingredient that will reflect in the prices. Mr Pawar said, prices of pulses are going down steadily and those of sugar are softening. He said a review of the rabi season showed there will be very good crop of wheat and an improvement in rice production and their buffer stock is quite comfortable. He said that MMTC and STC are importing pulses and government is bearing a loss of 50 rupees per kg and total loss is to the tune of 400 crore rupees. He said, private sector is also importing in a big way that will help in easing the prices.<br/>
News On AIR | February 1, 2010 8:50 AM
Food prices to ease in wake of rising imports: Pawar