Govt procures 232.49 LMT wheat in rabi marketing season till April 26

The Government of India procured 232.49 lakh metric tonne (LMT) wheat during the ensuing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22 till April 26, the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs said on Tuesday.

According to a press release, procurement of wheat has recently commenced in Rabi Marketing Season RMS 2021-22 in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir at MSP, as was done in previous seasons, and till now a quantity of 232.49 LMT of wheat has been procured benefitting 22,20,665 farmers with MSP value of Rs. 43916.20 crore.

Paddy procurement in the ongoing season Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring States with the purchase of over 710.53 LMTs of paddy (includes Kharif Crop 702.24LMT and Rabi Crop 8.29 LMT) up to April 26 against last year corresponding purchase of 646.36 LMT. About 106.35 Lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with an MSP value of Rs 1,34,148.29 Crore.

Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 107.08 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 & Rabi Marketing Season 2021 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS).

The sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala was also given.

"For other States/UTs, approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for the procurement of Pulses, Oilseeds and Copra under 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/UTs by the Central Nodal Agencies through State, nominated procuring agencies," read the release.

Up to April 26, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 5,97,914.15 MT of Moong, Urad, Tur, Gram, Masoor, Groundnut Pods, Mustard Seed and Soyabean having an MSP value of Rs. 3,137.88 Crores benefitting 3,75,316 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, and Rajasthan under Kharif 2020-21 and Rabi 2021.

Similarly, 5089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having an MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu up to April 26, 2021. The respective State/UTs Governments are making necessary arrangements for the commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective States based on the arrivals of Pulses and Oilseeds.

( With inputs from ANI )