In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP from farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes, as was done in previous seasons.
Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 has now crossed 2 crore MT mark with bumper procurement of 204.59 LMT Paddy in the procuring states and UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Gujarat upto Oct 31, 2020, against the last year corresponding purchase of 168.87 LMT showing an increase of 21.16 per cent over last year. Out of the total purchase of 204.59 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 142.81 LMT which is 69.80 per cent of total procurement.
About 17.23 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 38627.46 crore.
Further, based on the proposal from the states, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.10 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020 for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
Further, 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 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.
Upto Oct 31, 2020, the government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 10293.61 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs 57.78 crore benefitting 6,102 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. Similarly, 5,089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In respect of Copra and Urad, rates are ruling above MSP in most of the major producing states. The respective state/UTs governments are making necessary arrangements for commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective states based on the arrivals in respect of Kharif Pulses and Oilseeds.