New Delhi, June 12
The government on Thursday approved the procurement of 54,166 metric tonnes (MT) of moong under the price support scheme from farmers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat for the summer crop season 2025–26 as part of the Centre's policy to incentivise the production of pulses in the country.
Similarly, the Government has approved the procurement of 50,750 MT of groundnut under the price support scheme (PSS) in Uttar Pradesh for the summer crop season.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also given approval to extend the period of procurement for red gram in Andhra Pradesh by another 15 days up to June 26, keeping the interest of farmers of the state.
In order to incentivise farmers and enhance the domestic production of pulses while reducing the country's dependence on imports, the government has permitted the procurement of tur (arhar), urad, and masur under the PSS up to 100 per cent of the production of the respective state for the procurement year 2024-25.
Furthermore, in the Union Budget 2025, the government announced the continuation of this initiative for an additional four years, up to 2028-29, wherein procurement of these pulses will be undertaken up to 100 percent of State production through the Central Nodal Agencies, namely the NAFED and the NCCF, with the aim of achieving national self-sufficiency in pulse production.
The Government of India is implementing the integrated scheme Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), which encompasses the Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF). The overarching objective of this initiative is to ensure assured and remunerative prices for farmers' agricultural produce, thereby protecting their income and securing their livelihood against market fluctuations. PSS is implemented as and when the market prices of notified pulses and oilseeds, and copra fall below the notified MSP during the peak harvesting period to provide a remunerative price to the farmers.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some good news for our farmers! 👠Moong is such an important crop in our diet and this price support will encourage more cultivation. Hope the procurement process is smooth and transparent. Government should also focus on proper storage facilities to prevent post-harvest losses.
As someone from Gujarat, I've seen how MSP helps small farmers. But implementation is key - last year many farmers complained about delayed payments. Hope this time the system works better. Self-sufficiency in pulses is crucial for our food security.
Good initiative but what about other crops? Why only pulses and groundnut? Many vegetable farmers are suffering due to price crashes. The scheme should be expanded to cover more crops. Also, middlemen still take big cuts - need stronger farmer-market connect.
Reducing pulse imports is a smart move considering global uncertainties. But we must ensure quality standards too - some locally grown pulses have high pesticide content. Maybe the scheme should include training for organic farming methods?
The 4-year extension shows long-term thinking. But will the MSP keep pace with rising input costs? Fertilizer prices have doubled in recent years. Support schemes must be dynamic to truly benefit farmers. Still, better than nothing - jai kisan! ðŸ™
As a nutritionist, I'm happy to see focus on pulses - they're the poor man's protein. But procurement is just first step. Need awareness campaigns about pulse-based diets too. Maybe include recipes with the MSP announcements? 😄 Healthier India starts with better food policies!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.