The Centre has done the paddy procurement of 482,656 MT in Haryana, 10,08,028 MT in Punjab, 6,945 MT in Chandigarh, 1,545 MT in Uttar Pradesh and 1,809 MT in Kerala and 25,551 MT in Tamil Nadu totalling 15,26,534 MT having minimum support price (MSP) value of around Rs. 2,882 cores from 1,27,832 farmers of these states as of October 06, 2020, Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India said at a press conference in New Delhi today.
The procurement of paddy during Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 had started from September 26, 2020 in Haryana and Punjab while it started from October 1, 2020 in western Uttar Pradesh and from October 2, 2020 in Chandigarh and from October 5, 2020 in Tamil Nadu.
Further, Pandey said, based on the proposal from the states, approval has been accorded for procurement of 30.17 LMT of pulses and oilseeds for Kharif Marketing Season 2020 for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. Sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of copra (the perennial crop) for the state of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala was also given. For other states and UTs approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra under Price Support Scheme (PSS) so that procurement of FAQ grade of these crops can be made at notified MSP for the year 2020-21 directly from the registered farmers, if the market rate goes below MSP during the notified harvesting period in the respective states and UTs by the Central nodal agencies through state nominated procuring agencies.
He informed that as of October 06, 2020, the Government through its nodal agencies has procured 201.15 MT of moong having MSP value of Rs.1.45 crore from 161 farmers in Tamil Nadu and Haryana. Similarly, 5,089 MT of copra having MSP value of Rs. 52.40 crore has been procured from 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu against the sanctioned quantity of 1.23 LMT for the Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In respect of copra and urad, rates are ruling at or above MSP. Respective state governments are making arrangements for commencement of procurement in respect of moong.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Agrawal, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, said, the Government of India declares MPS for the fair average quality (FAQ) of agricultural crops like cereals, pulses, oilseeds and commercial crops every year at the beginning of the sowing season on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). Based on the recommendation of Swaminathan Committee report, the Government announced MSP to ensure minimum 1.5 time of cost of production since Kharif 2018-19 seasons onwards. Under the Price Support Policy, Government is committed to provide assurance of remunerative prices to farmers in case of fall in the market price of their produce. In addition to announcement of MSP, the Government also arranges procurement of MSP notified crops through nodal agencies.
Speaking on the press conference, DV Prasad, CMD, Food Corporation of India, informed that the procurement of paddy from farmers across the country has registered an increase of 5 percent in current KMS till now as compared to corresponding period last year. Maximum procurement has happened in Punjab. The pace of procurement as well as the enthusiasm displayed by farmers in selling paddy stocks to FCI in Punjab and Haryana conclusively put to rest any misgivings the farmers of these states might have had regarding continuation of MSP procurement operations through APMCs after the introduction of new farm acts. FCI and state agencies have kept an ambitious target to procure 495 LMT rice (738 LMT paddy) from the farmers at MSP during current Kharif season throughout the country as against the quantity of 420 LMT rice (626 LMT paddy) during last Kharif season. Punjab and Haryana contributes maximum quantity to this with 23 percent and 9 percent respectively.
