Overview
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate MSP procurement by NAFED, FCI and NCCF to stabilise the maize market.
- The Karnataka government will procure 10 lakh tonnes directly from growers and is setting up procurement centres to start purchases.
- A letter from Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh proposes central allocations of 12.5 lakh tonnes for PDS and nutrition schemes and 20 lakh tonnes for ethanol, plus a temporary curb on imports.
- The state estimates about 55 lakh tonnes of production and a marketable surplus near 32 lakh tonnes, with prices reported around Rs 1,600–1,800 versus an MSP of Rs 2,400, triggering farmer protests in North Karnataka.
- Siddaramaiah has urged a stop to further imports and attributed stalled nodal-agency buying to reported central imports of about 70 lakh tonnes, while noting distilleries stocked up earlier and are now limiting purchases.