Overview
- Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to activate price support for maize under the Market Intervention Scheme.
- He is seeking a Price Deficiency Payment that covers all farmers, with the Centre bearing the full payout and the window extended through June 2026.
- The proposal taps NAFED with AP Markfed to pay farmers the difference between the Minimum Support Price and local market rates directly into their accounts.
- State data show maize was sown on about 4.83 lakh hectares with an estimated 37.61 lakh tonnes of output, which has pushed spot prices below MSP as arrivals build.
- The state says farmers face distress sales while it awaits the Centre’s decision, a risk first flagged by agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu and detailed by The Hindu, PTI and Deccan Chronicle.