BHUBANESWAR: The State Government will commence procurement of kharif oilseeds and pulses under Price Support Scheme (PSS) from farmers from December 25.The Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has approved the State Government’s proposal for procurement of 7,075 tonne of green gram (Moong), 4,250 tonne of black gram (Biri), 29,725 tonne of red gram (Arhar or Harad) and 3,330 tonne of groundnut pods from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced for 2019-20 kharif season to save farmers from exploitation of middlemen.
The Centre has fixed the MSP of for fair average quality (FAQ) Moong at Rs 7,050 per quintal, Biri at Rs 5,700 per quintal, Harad at Rs 5,800 per quintal, and groundnut at Rs 5,090 per quintal.The procurement operation, which will continue for two months till February 23, will be undertaken by Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation (MARKFED) for National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED).
MARKFED being the nodal agency will procure oilseeds and pulses from farmers through primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) and large area multi-purpose cooperative societies (LAMPS), Regulated Market Committees (RMCs) and farmers Producer Oganisations having requisite infrastructure and sound financial position.
The amount spent on procurement by the State Government will be reimbursed by NAFED.In the first phase, pulses and oilseeds will be procured from 11 districts of Ganjam, Baragarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Angul, Mayubhanj, Boudh, Balangir, Sundargarh, Rayagada and Koraput where surplus is estimated during the current kharif season.
Procurement will start on December 25 and the operation will be extended to other districts depending on surplus production as per the recommendation of district collectors in consultation with MARKFED and NAFED.
Procurement centres will be finalised by a committee comprising representatives of MARKFED, NAFED, Deputy Director of Agrioculture and Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies (DRCS) under the chairmanship of district collectors.
Procurement of pulses and oilseeds under PSS will be made only from farmers who have registered their names with PACS/LAMPS/RMC by December 25.Payment will be released directly to the bank accounts of the farmers on digital platform by MARKFED within three days from actual delivery of their produce to the procuring agencies.
