Per-acre expenditure cost of wheat, rice should be reduced, says Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari. Pic/X@OfficeOfNG

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday that we need to reduce the per-acre expenditure cost to get better prices for our produce, reported news agency ANI.

"In our country, the per-acre expenditure is more. So firstly, we need to reduce our per-acre expenditure cost," Nitin Gadkari said while addressing the Millionaire Farmer of India Awards 2023, reported ANI.

He said that wheat and rice production is good in our country by its prices have not increased in proportion to fertilizer and insecticide, reported ANI.

"Wheat and rice production is good in our country. But if you analyse the prices of wheat and rice in the last 15 years, you will see that the increase in prices of fertilizer and insecticide, cement and steel, is not proportionate to the increase in prices of rice and wheat," Nitin Gadkari said, reported ANI.

The Union Minister said that the reason for the lower price realisation of wheat and rice is due to their surplus production, reported ANI.

"Due to factors of demand and supply, due to surplus production, our prices are not increasing though prices of fertilizer, insecticides and seeds are increasing," he said, reported ANI.

As per Final Estimates, the estimated production of rice during 2022-23 is 1357.55 lakh tonnes. It is higher by 62.84 lakh tonnes than the previous year's Rice production of 1294.71 lakh tonnes and by 153.65 lakh tonnes than the last five years' average production of 1203.90 lakh tonnes, reported ANI.

Production of Wheat during 2022-23 is estimated at a record 1105.54 lakh tonnes. It is higher by 28.12 lakh tonnes than the previous year's wheat production of 1077.42 lakh tonnes and by 48.23 lakh tonnes than the average wheat production of 1057.31 lakh tonnes, reported ANI.

The Millionaire Farmers of India Awards 2023 has been organised by Krishi Jagran, known for its innovative initiatives in India's farming and agriculture industry, reported ANI.

Meanwhile, amid reports raising questions on why under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi did not have a separate escape tunnel, the government on Wednesday said a separation wall was provided in the tunnel with egress openings at regular intervals that could be used as an escape route during an emergency.

The 41 workers, who were trapped in the tunnel from November 12, were rescued on November 28.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari said, "In the Silkyara bi-directional tunnel on Dharasu-Yumunotri highway (NH-134), a provision of separation wall has been provided at the centre of the carriageway along with egress openings at an average interval of 565 metres for vehicular crossover and at an average interval of 300 metres for pedestrian cross passage for escape purposes during the emergencies."

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)