State to get foodgrains under MSP.

NEW DELHI: Minister of Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas has assured Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that his ministry would ensure that Kerala is provided food grains under the minimum support price. Thomas met Chandy here on Tuesday to discuss the food grains related issue. "We have agreed to states of Kerala that we will give them food grains under the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Then a special request has come under Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (BPL)," Thomas said. The government has raised its 2012-13-support price for soya bean and corn by 33 percent and 20 percent to 2,200 rupees per 100 kg and 1,175 rupees per 100 kg respectively. The cotton purchase price for the long staple variant has been raised by 18 percent to 3,900 rupees per 100 kg.