Government's MSP paddy procurement increased by 13.51%

According to an official release by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, there is an increase of 13.51 % against last year corresponding purchase of 602.97 LMT.

New Delhi: In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, the government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from farmers as per existing MSP Schemes, as was done in previous seasons.

According to an official release by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAFPD), paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is going smoothly in several states and Union Territories (UTs) including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tripura with purchase over 684.48 LMTs of paddy up to March 19.

The statatics of procured Moong, Urad, Groundnut pods and Soyabean

This is an increase of 13.51 % against last year corresponding purchase of 602.97 LMT. Out of the total purchase of 684.48 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.82 LMT which is 29.63% of total procurement, the release said.

About 100.65 Lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with an MSP value of Rs. 1,29,230.20 Crore, it said.

Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 107.08 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 & Rabi Marketing Season 2021 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS), the release added.

The 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 the 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, it said.

A data showing major paddy procuring states in KMS 2020-21

Up to March 19, the government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 3,49,437.15 MT of Moong, Urad, Tur, Gram, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having an MSP value of Rs 1,870.55 crores benefitting 1,97,050 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan under Kharif2020-21 & Rabi 2021, the release further said.

Similarly, 5089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having an MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu up to March 19.

The respective State/UTs governments are making necessary arrangements for the commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective States based on the arrivals of Pulses and Oilseeds, the release claimed.