Madhya Pradesh is preparing to spend Rs 11.6 bln under the price support scheme to procure kharif pulses--tur, urad, and moong--harvested in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun), a state government official said today.
"The state has proposed to procure tur worth 376 crore (3.76 bln) rupees, 760 crore (7.6 bln) rupees worth of urad and 24 crore (0.24 bln) rupees worth of moong," the official said adding that the procurement would be carried out in 2020-21 kharif marketing season beginning October.
The procurement would be done under the price support scheme to ensure minimum support price for growers and also to stem falling prices in the domestic markers, he said. Prices typically fall when the crop hits markets in bulk. Farmers have to register themselves to avail of the benefits under the scheme.
However, the government has not yet come up with any date of registration, the official said, adding that it would be declared soon. Estimate amount for the procurement of remaining kharif crops would be calculated within this month. Procurement centres would be the same as last year's level.
The state and Centre's nodal agencies may procure tur and urad at a minimum support price of 6,000 rupees per 100 kg each, while moong would be purchased at 7,196 rupees per 100 kg. Madhya Pradesh is the leading grower of pulses in the country. As on Sep 3, farmers in the state had sown 4.1 mln ha tur, down 16% from a year ago, urad on 112,000 ha, down 5.1%, and moong across 157,000 ha, up 12%, according to farm ministry data.
The state has adequate space for storing procured kharif crops, the official said. Arrivals of moong and urad will begin in full swing from October, while tur arrivals will commence from January, traders said. Looking at the extent of damage and lower sowing under moong and urad this kharif season, a large quantity of procurement of these pulses seems difficult in the 2020-21 kharif marketing year, they said.
