Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at MSP from farmers as per existing MSP Schemes in the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21.
Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring States & UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Karnataka, and West Bengal with purchase of over 532.79 LMTs of paddy up to January 9, 2021. This is an increase of 26.50% against the last year corresponding purchase of 421.15 LMT. Out of the total purchase of 532.79 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 38.05% of total procurement, according to a PIB release.
About 70.84 lakh farmers have already benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs. 1,00,591.96 crore.
Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 51.66 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh, under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
Further, sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala was also given. Also, sanction for procurement of 2.50 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Rabi Marketing Season 2020-2021 for the States of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, was given.
For other States/UTs, approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for procurement of Pulses, Oilseeds and Copra under PSS so that procurement of FAQ grade of these crops can be made at notified MSP for the year 2020-21 directly from the registered farmers, if the market rate goes below MSP during the notified harvesting period in the respective States/UTs by the Central Nodal Agencies through State nominated procuring agencies.
Up to January 9, 2021, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 2,83,343.27 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods, and Soybean having MSP value of Rs.1515.77 Crores benefitting 1,51,180 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan.