Central government engaged in filling food reserves, emphasis on pulses purchase; approval for gram purchase also

In the interest of farmers, the central government has asked all the state governments not to purchase crops at a price below the minimum support price (MSP) under any situation. The priority consideration of the government is pulses procurement because the buffer stock of pulses has now reached the minimum and in such a situation, the goal of bringing the country self-sufficiency in pulses in the next four years is not easily attainable.

The buffer stock needs to have at least 35 lakh tonnes of pulses to supply pulses to the massive population of the country while keeping the prices constant so that, if there is a price increase, the market can intervene. But only half the usual quantity of pulses is available in the buffer stock. That is why the Center is showing restraint.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan claimed that the Central Government is committed to the welfare of farmers as well as consumers. To increase the domestic production of pulses, encourage farmers to do excessive farming, and reduce dependence on pulse imports, the government has approved the purchase of 100 percent of the production of tur, urad, and lentils of the states under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The budget has also pledged to produce pulses as per its requirement. For this, all the produce of the above three types of pulses will be purchased for the next four years.

In the current Kharif season, approval has been given for the purchase of tur in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. The price of tur in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is currently running higher than the MSP. Therefore, the pace of purchase is slow here. The purchase period in Karnataka has been increased from 90 days to 120 days. Now tur can be purchased here till May 1. So far, 2.46 lakh tonnes of tur has been procured from 1.75 lakh farmers through NAFED and NCCF in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana.

The Agriculture Minister said that to enrich the pulses stock, the purchase of gram has also been approved during the Rabi season. PM-Asha Yojana has been extended till 2025-26. Under this, pulses and oilseeds will continue to be procured from farmers at MSP. The total approved quantity for the purchase of grams in the current Rabi season is 27.99 lakh tonnes.

In view of the shortage of oilseeds, 28.28 lakh tonnes of mustard will also be procured. The major pulse-producing states include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. The total approved quantity of lentil is 9.40 lakh tonnes. The government has ensured the use of NAFED and NCCF portals to simplify the registration and process of farmers.