West Bengal to set up Kisan Mandis

Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) The West Bengal government will establish 341 special markets - 'Kisan Mandi' - to help farmers to sell their produce at the right price, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday.

"Because of the inability to find suitable markets, farmers often do not get appropriate prices for their produce. Moreover, they are fleeced by middlemen. We will establish 341 Kisan Mandis to enable them sell their produce at the right price," said Banerjee.

The chief minister was speaking at a programme organised to hand over papers for various government schemes for farmers, in the district town of Burdwan, about 100 km from here.

Banerjee also said the state had registered a record rice production this year for which it will rent warehouses and godowns to store them.

"This year the rice production has been a record 157 lakh tonnes, eclipsing the previous record of 133 tonnes. Currently we have a capacity to store only 50,000 tonnes. We will rent godowns which will increase the storage to three lakh tonnes," said Banerjee.

"Neither the crops nor the farmers can wait, so we will rent the godowns now but will later build them," she added.

The government will also provide Rs.75 crore to farmers in the district for purchasing agricultural machineries and implements.

She also said the government had procured 20 lakh tonnes of grains. It will procure more in the near future.

She asked the farmers to cultivate pulses as they more rewarding and have export potential. She also asked them to use manures and fertilizers in the right proportion.