Centre Approves MSP Procurement Of Five Crops In Odisha Worth Rs 1,428 Crore

New Delhi, Apr 23 (KNN) Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the procurement of five crops in Odisha under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism, with the total value of procurement exceeding Rs 1,428.31 crore.

The approvals were granted during a virtual meeting held at Krishi Bhawan with Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh, following a review of the state’s proposals, production estimates and procurement requirements.

The approved crops include moong, urad, groundnut, sunflower and mustard. Among these, procurement of 1,19,387 metric tonnes of urad accounts for the largest share, with an MSP value of Rs 931.21 crore, followed by 34,492 metric tonnes of moong worth Rs 302.42 crore. 

Groundnut procurement of 20,219 metric tonnes has been approved at Rs 146.85 crore, while sunflower and mustard account for smaller volumes valued at Rs 17.06 crore and Rs 30.77 crore, respectively.

The procurement will be undertaken under the PM-AASHA framework for a period of 90 days. The state government is implementing a point-of-sale (PoS)-based procurement system to ensure efficiency and transparency.

During the meeting, the minister stressed that procurement must be carried out directly from farmers through a transparent and accountable system to ensure timely delivery of MSP benefits. He underlined the need for continuous monitoring to prevent the role of intermediaries and ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from the scheme.

Special emphasis was placed on promoting sunflower cultivation, with the minister noting its decline in several regions and assuring technical and scientific support from the Centre to enhance its production in Odisha.

The Centre reiterated its commitment to supporting farmers in the state, while emphasising that a transparent procurement mechanism is essential to ensure that the intended benefits reach producers without distortion.

(KNN Bureau)