Price rise not my job, says Pawar

Against the backdrop of the rising prices of onion and vegetables, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday said his ministry’s main priority was providing foodgrains and that vegetable prices was a local matter and not related to the ministry directly.

“Rising prices is not a responsibility of Agriculture Ministry, as its prime job is to ensure the availability of foodgrains like wheat, rice, oil seeds and pulses,” he said. “The decision of taking a particular vegetable crop is taken by the farmer at a local level and the hike in their prices is also a local matter and is not Union Agriculture Ministry’s responsibility.”

Pawar claimed that there was an ample stock of wheat and rice in the country and their price was much less compared to neighbouring countries and Europe.

Pawar was in Manchar town before his visit to Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd, which sells its milk products under brand name “Gowardhan.”

(Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Price-rise-not-my-job--says-Pawar/738054)