Tue Mar 11 07:34:17 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Chief Minister Seeks Central Aid for Red Chilli Farmers

**Bengaluru, March 11, 2025** – Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the extension of the Price Deficiency Payment (PDP) scheme under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to the state’s red chilli farmers. Lakhs of farmers, particularly in the Kalyana Karnataka region, are facing severe financial hardship due to drastically reduced red chilli prices.

The Chief Minister highlighted that while neighboring Andhra Pradesh benefits from the PDP scheme, which sets a Minimum Intervention Price (MIP) of ₹11,781 per quintal for Guntur variety red chillies, Karnataka’s farmers are receiving only ₹8,300 per quintal. The Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission has assessed the cost of production at ₹12,675 per quintal, leading to significant losses for farmers.

Siddaramaiah emphasized the vulnerability of small and marginal farmers in the drought-prone Kalyana Karnataka region, urging the central government to address their plight. He proposed increasing the MIP to ₹13,500 per quintal and expanding coverage to 75% of production to provide adequate relief. He also requested the central government to bear the full cost of the PDP scheme, currently shared equally by the Centre and State. The Chief Minister argued that the Union Government’s policies significantly influence red chilli prices and farmer incomes, making central intervention crucial.

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