New Delhi, Feb 22 : Union Minister Anurag Thakur has said the Centre was always ready for talks with the farmers.

Emphasising that the dialogue was the only way to address concerns, he said on Wednesday that farmers were the nation's 'Annadatas'.

"Earlier also we were ready for discussions, still we are ready and in the future also we will be ready. We don't have any problem, they are our 'Annadatas'...," he said.

The Union minister said that despite the increase in the prices of fertilizers across the world, the Centre has prevented the rise in fertilizer and urea costs, and the government provided subsidies amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore.

He also said that the Centre worked continuously in the last three years and brought Nano Urea. The minister said, "I want to tell you that in the 10 years of UPA, Rs 5.50 lakh crore were spent on MSP for wheat, paddy, and oilseeds. The Modi government has allocated Rs 18 lakh 39 thousand crore, which is more than 3.50 times," AnuragThakur said.

/IANS