Govt’s 100% Procurement Of Tur, Urad, & Masur Extended Through 2028–29 To Boost Self-Sufficiency

New Delhi, April 24 (KNN) The Government of India has announced an expansion of its pulses procurement initiative under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), authorising the purchase of Tur (Arhar), Urad, and Masur equivalent to 100 percent of state production for the 2024-25 procurement year. 

This comprehensive approach aims to incentivise farmers to increase cultivation of pulses while reducing the nation's dependence on imports.

Building upon this commitment, the Government has further extended this procurement guarantee in the Budget 2025, pledging to maintain the 100 percent procurement policy for these three pulses for an additional four years through 2028-29. 

The Central Nodal Agencies, NAFED and NCCF, will implement this procurement strategy with the explicit goal of achieving national self-sufficiency in pulses production.

In accordance with this policy framework, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the procurement of 13.22 LMT of Tur (Arhar) across nine states during the Kharif 2024-25 season. 

The participating states include Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. 

The Minister has also authorised a 30-day extension to the procurement period in Andhra Pradesh, extending it beyond the standard 90 days until the 22nd of next month to accommodate farmer needs.

The procurement operations at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through NAFED and NCCF are currently underway in five states: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana. 

As of the 22nd of this month, these efforts have resulted in the procurement of 3.92 LMT of Tur (Arhar), benefiting 256,517 farmers across these states. 

The procurement process is being facilitated through digital platforms, with farmers registering on NAFED's e-Samridhi portal and NCCF's eSamyukti portal. 

The Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to purchase 100 percent of Tur offered by farmers at the established Minimum Support Price through these central nodal agencies.

(KNN Bureau)