Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, Government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its Minimum Support Price (MSP) from the farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes, as was done in previous seasons.
Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is progressing at a good pace in the procuring States/UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, with purchase of over 224.70 LMT of paddy up to November 3, 2020, against the last year corresponding purchase of 186.97 LMT showing an increase of 20.18% over last year. Out of the total purchase of 224.70 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 158.47 LMT which is 70.52 % of total procurement, according to a PIB release. About 18.91 lakh farmers have already benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs 42,422.49 Crore.
Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.10 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). 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.
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 November 3, 2020, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 18,523.69 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods, and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs 100.11 Crores benefitting 11,243 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Similarly, 5,089 MT of copra having MSP value of Rs. 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In respect of Copra and Urad, rates are ruling above MSP in most of the major producing States. The respective State/UTs Governments are making necessary arrangements for commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective States based on the arrivals in respect of Kharif Pulses and Oilseeds.
Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. Till November 3, 2020, a quantity of 7,70,802 cotton bales valuing Rs 2,24,235 lakh has been procured benefitting 1,47,480 farmers.