Gandhinagar, April 2 (IANS) The Gujarat government has extended the deadline for purchasing pigeon pea (tur) daal at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to April 30.
Under the guidance of state Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel, the purchase period has now been extended until April 30 to ensure that no farmer in the state is deprived of selling their produce at a fair price.
Minister Patel stated that Gujarat has witnessed substantial sowing and production of pigeon pea this year.
The union government has announced an msp of Rs 7,550 per quintal for ‘tur daal’ under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-Aasha).
Encouraged by this attractive price, over 1.23 lakh farmers in the state registered for selling their crops at MSP.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had started the procurement process on February 24, ensuring a fair price for farmers.
So far, over 58,300 farmers have sold 1.11 lakh metric tonnes of pigeon pea worth more than Rs 841 crore.
Minister Raghavji Patel emphasised that farmers who have registered but have yet to sell their produce will be able to complete the sale by April 30.
This extension aims to accommodate all eligible farmers and prevent any from missing out on the opportunity to benefit from government procurement.
Gujarat has witnessed a significant engagement of farmers in pigeon pea cultivation this year.
The procurement process, which began on February 24, has already benefited more than 58,300 farmers, with a total of 1.11 lakh metric tonnes of pigeon pea purchased. This procurement amounts to a financial outlay exceeding Rs 841 crore.
Notably, to incentivise the domestic production of pulses, the Centre removed the procurement ceiling under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for traditionally imported pulses viz., tur, urad and masur, thereby guaranteeing 100 per cent procurement at MSP in respect of these crops during 2024-25.
To augment domestic availability, a duty-free import policy for Tur, Urad, and Masur was allowed.
–IANS
Janvi/SVN
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