Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 23: The procurement of tur (arhar) at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is progressing robustly across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana, with central agencies NAFED and NCCF collectively purchasing 3.92 lac metric tonnes (LMT) of the pulse till April 22. The initiative has benefited around 2,56,517 farmers, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on Wednesday.

The Centre is undertaking procurement from pre-registered farmers via the e-Samridhi portal of NAFED and the eSamyukti portal of NCCF. Reaffirming its commitment, the government has assured 100 per cent procurement of tur offered at MSP through central nodal agencies NAFED and NCCF.

Aiming to boost domestic pulse production and reduce dependency on imports, the government has approved 100 per cent procurement of tur, urad, and masur at MSP under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the 2024-25 season.

In a significant policy push, the Union Budget 2025 announced an extension of this procurement support for another four years, until 2028-29, to ensure India’s self-sufficiency in pulse production.

Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sanctioned tur procurement under the Kharif 2024-25 season across nine states Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh for a total target of 13.22 LMT.
Further, the procurement window in Andhra Pradesh has been extended by 30 days, beyond the initial 90-day period, up to May 22, to benefit more farmers.

The ministry emphasized that Centre-led procurement guarantees farmers a fair price and insulates them from market volatility. With the government ready to procure the entire tur crop at MSP, private traders are compelled to offer competitive prices to farmers, ensuring greater earnings for the agricultural community.