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, as was done in previous seasons.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is progressing at a good pace in the procuring States/UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh with purchase of over 224.70 LMT of paddy upto 03.11.2020 against the last year corresponding purchase of 186.97 LMT showing an increase of 20.18% over last year. Out of the total purchase of 224.70 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 158.47 LMT whichis

70.52 % of total procurement.

About 18.91 Lac farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs. 42422.49 Crores.

Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.10 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 procuringagencies.

Upto 03.11.2020, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 18523.69 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs. 100.11 Crores benefitting 11243 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. 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 andOilseeds.

Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Till 03.11.2020 a quantity of 770802 cotton bales valuing Rs.224235 lakh has been procured benefitting 147480 farmers.

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APS