OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The price of large cardamom produced in Arunachal Pradesh has significantly decreased in the current financial year due to fluctuating market price at Siliguri and Gangtok markets which is beyond the control of the State government, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday.
Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Tage Taki in response to a written question by senior Congress member Nabam Tuki informed that the price of large cardamom has declined from average price of Rs 1300 per kg in the year 2014-15 to Rs 450 per kg in 2019-20.
“Market prices fluctuate without any explaination and hence the rise and decline in the price of large cardamom in the State is due to external factors and not within the control of the State government,” Taki said.
He said, no State provides Minimum Support Price (MSP) for large cardamom or for that matter on perishable agro produces like large cardamom.
Taki added that in case of any natural calamities, the State government pays compensation to the farmers. However, in case of decline in market rate, there is no provision for the state as well as central government to provide compensation.
“Since the large cardamom does not come under policy of MSP, neither the central government nor the State government kept fund provision,” Taki added in response to a supplementary.