Moong procurement approved for MP, says Centre amid farmers' protests
Bhopal, July 29
Amid a major farmers' protest in Bhopal over procurement of moong crop and other agriculture-related issues, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the Centre had approved a record 4.54 lakh metric tonnes of moong procurement for Madhya Pradesh under the Price Support Scheme, the highest allocation made to any state this season.
Chouhan's statement came in response to a letter dated July 28 from Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana, who had sought approval for procurement of 4.54 lakh MT of moong. The Union Minister conveyed the approval in a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The clarification assumed significance as hundreds of farmers, marching from Narmadapuram, reached Bhopal on Wednesday and staged a protest, accusing the government of failing to address procurement-related issues.
"Madhya Pradesh has received the highest approval for moong procurement in the country this season. The Government of India has been continuously extending maximum possible support to the state under the Price Support Scheme," Chouhan said.
In his letter, Chouhan mentioned that the Centre had approved procurement of 4,54,580 MT of moong for Madhya Pradesh, accounting for nearly 87 per cent of the total 5,23,243 MT approved across the country.
The Union Agriculture Minister, however, clarified that the Central government does not prescribe procurement targets for states.
"Under the PM-AASHA scheme, approval is granted for procurement up to 25 per cent of a state's production. Procurement beyond that has to be undertaken by the state government," Chouhan wrote in his letter.
He said around 60,000 MT of moong had been procured in Madhya Pradesh till July 29 and urged the state government to expedite procurement in the interest of farmers.
Chouhan also pointed out that the Centre had consistently increased the quantity approved for Madhya Pradesh over the years - from 2.75 lakh MT in 2021-22 and 2022-23 to 3.30 lakh MT in 2023-24 and 4.19 lakh MT in 2024-25 - while additional procurement beyond the approved quantity was undertaken by the state government.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Shivraj Singh Chouhan is back in power at the centre, but still farmers have to protest to get their dues? 😕 The PM-AASHA scheme sounds great on paper, but ground-level implementation is always a problem. Hope they don't just make announcements and forget about the actual procurement!
Impressive to see the central allocation grow from 2.75 lakh MT to 4.54 lakh MT over the years. But the real test is whether farmers actually get the MSP or end up selling at lower rates to middlemen. The protest in Bhopal shows the system still has major gaps.
Good step by the Centre, but why is the state government not utilising the full allocation? 60,000 MT procured as of July 29 is negligible. The CM should personally monitor this. Our farmers should not have to march to Bhopal for their basic rights. 🙏
The clarification that the centre doesn't prescribe procurement targets is a bit worrying. States need proactive leadership, not just approvals. If MP has the highest allocation but still farmers are protesting, something is broken in the execution chain. Let's hope this gets sorted quickly.
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