Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The procurement of of tur (arhar) at minimum support price (MSP) through Central agencies NAFED and NCCF is in full swing in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana and a total quantity of 3.92 lakh metric tonnes of the crop has been procured in these states till April 22, benefiting as many as 2,56,517 farmers, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on April 23.
Tur procurement is also being done from pre-registered farmers on the e-Samridhi portal of NAFED and the eSamyukti portal of NCCF. The Centre is committed to taking up 100 per cent procurement of tur offered by farmers at the MSP through central nodal agencies, namely NAFED and NCCF, the statement said.
In order to incentivise the farmers contributing to the enhancement of domestic production of pulses and to reduce the dependence on imports, the government has approved 100 per cent procurement of tur, urad, and masur at MSP under the price support scheme for 2024-25.
The Government has also made an announcement in Budget 2025 that the procurement at MSP of 100 per cent production of tur, urad, and masur would be undertaken for another four years up to 2028-29 through central nodal agencies, namely, NAFED and NCCF, to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses in the country.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan approved the procurement of tur in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh under the Price Support Scheme during the Kharif 2024-25 season for a total quantity of 13.22 lakh metric tonnes (LMT).
The minister has also approved the extension of the procurement period in Andhra Pradesh by 30 days beyond the 90 days up to 22nd of next month in the interest of farmers, the statement added.
Purchase of pulses at MSP by the Centre ensures that farmers get a remunerative price and are not left at the mercy of market farmers. Since the government is ready to buy the entire crop at MSP, private traders have to pay a higher price if they want to buy pulses.
