NEW DELHI, 3 December 2020: 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.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring States & UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra with purchase of over 318.00 LMTs of paddy up to 30.11.2020 against the last year corresponding purchase of 268.15 LMT showing an increase of 18.58 % over last year. Out of the total purchase of 318.00 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 63.76 % of total procurement.

About 29.70 Lac farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs. 60038.68 Crore.

Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.24 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 30.11.2020, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 104546.68 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs. 563.43 Crores benefitting 60107 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Similarly, 5089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having MSP value of Rs.52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu upto 30.11.2020 as against the last year corresponding purchase of 293.34 MT of copra.

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.

Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka. Till 30.11.2020 a quantity of 2909242 cotton bales valuing Rs.8515.53 Crore has been procured benefitting 581449 farmers.