Centre procured over Rs 59-cr Kharif crops till Oct 23

The Central government has procured Kharif crops having Minimum Support Price (MSP) valued around Rs 59 crore this year so far, the Agriculture Ministry said on Saturday.

The Ministry shared the procurement data up to October 23 this year.

Of these crops, the government through its nodal agencies has procured 894.54 metric ton of Moong and Urad having MSP value of Rs 6.43 crores benefitting 871 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Haryana

Similarly, the Ministry said, 5,089 metric ton of Copra (the perennial crop) 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, said the Ministry, adding the respective state and Union Territory 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.

In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, the Central government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP from farmers as per its existing MSP schemes, as was done in previous seasons.

Further, based on the proposal from the states, the Ministry said, 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).

The Ministry said sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala was also given further.

For other states and UTs, it said, 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 or UTs by the Central Nodal Agencies through state nominated procuring agencies.