New Delhi, Apr 18 (TNT): The Centre on Saturday approved a series of procurement measures for key crops in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, aimed at ensuring remunerative prices and preventing distress sales by farmers.
The decisions were cleared by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan following a review meeting with state agriculture ministers and officials.
Under the approved measures, the government has sanctioned procurement of up to 20 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for the 2025–26 agricultural year.
The procurement will be carried out at a price of ₹6,500.9 per metric tonne, with a central financial outlay of ₹203.15 crore.
In Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has enhanced the procurement ceiling for chana (Bengal gram) under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) to 1,13,250 metric tonnes for the Rabi Marketing Season 2025–26, up from the initially approved 94,500 metric tonnes.
For Karnataka, the procurement window for tur (pigeon pea) under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been extended by 30 days, allowing farmers to sell their produce till May 15, 2026.
Officials said the measures are aimed at stabilising market prices, ensuring better returns to farmers and strengthening the agricultural economy.
The Centre also emphasised continued coordination with state governments to address farmer concerns and ensure timely procurement operations.
The government reiterated its commitment to protecting farmers’ interests and ensuring that cultivators are not forced to sell their produce at unremunerative prices.
TNT KS
Leave a Reply