Moong procurement: Farmers' body to move court against 'terming the commodity toxic'

The farmers' federation has said it will soon move to court over the state's refusal to procure moong, reportedly citing the presence of toxic substances as the reason.

"To dry summer moong crops quickly, farmers are using herbicides like paraquat and glyphosate. These chemicals help the crop mature faster but harm the environment and pose health risks to consumers. The use of herbicides destroys beneficial soil microbes, reducing the natural fertility of the soil. Also, summer moong requires at least 3-4 rounds of irrigation, further depleting groundwater levels," the state government released a press statement quoting Prof (Dr.) Vijay Singh Tomar, former Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur, and Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior.

The press note issued on May 8, titled 'Discourage use of herbicides in moong cultivation', cited other reasons for its contamination. "This statement made an adverse impact on the commodity as prices crashed and added more trouble to the already suffering farmers. We have readied a petition and will soon file it in court against terming moong as a 'toxically contaminated commodity," Shivkumar Sharma, National President of the Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Mahasangh, told IANS.

As the state government has not yet started procuring moong at the support price this season, the issue has galvanised farmer unions, policymakers, and civil society into action. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has suggested alternative measures, including encouraging private traders and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to participate in mandi auctions. He has also hinted at reducing mandi fees and issuing new licenses to boost competition and raise prices to around Rs 7,500 per quintal.

"I will speak to the Union agriculture minister and farmers' associations. Our government is sensitive to the issue and will take a farmer-oriented decision," he told the media.

A delegation of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh led by Kamal Singh Anjana, President of the Sangh, Madhya Pradesh unit, called on the chief minister, but the outcome was not positive.

Farmers have so far registered a stray protest in Gadarwara, Pipariya and some other parts of Narmadapuram district. Farmers' associations have issued an ultimatum to the state government, demanding that procurement begin by Saturday or face statewide protests. Their demand stems from a stark price disparity: while the MSP for moong in 2025-26 has been set at Rs 8,768 per quintal, farmers are being forced to sell their produce at Rs 5,000 to 6,200, incurring losses of up to Rs 2,000 per quintal.

"They will not decide on procurement this year because it is not an election year. As far as the protest is concerned, it is a bit difficult to organise a statewide protest as the rainy season is approaching and farmers need to prepare for Kharif crops," said Sharma.

This year, moong has been sown across 12 to 15 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh, particularly in districts like Narmadapuram, Jabalpur, and Bhopal, according to government data.

Nearly 70 to 80 per cent of the crop has already been harvested, but many farmers are holding back their produce in hopes of a fair price.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed readiness to procure moong under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), provided the state government submits a formal proposal. The Centre has already approved the procurement of over 54,000 metric tonnes of moong from states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Haryana, and has extended procurement windows in Andhra Pradesh to support farmers.