Govt enhances mustard procurement limit, number of centres

Decision is significant in terms of maintaining social distance as the enhanced daily procurement would mean lesser visits to mandis by the farmers

In a significant development, the Union agriculture ministry on Thursday enhanced the daily procurement limit for mustard and gram from 25 quintal to 40 quintal per farmer. The mustard procurement will begin from April 15 at 248 centres across Haryana.

HT Image

The central government’s decision is crucial in terms of maintaining social distance as the enhanced daily procurement would mean lesser visits to mandis by the farmers.

Granting a relaxation in the price support scheme (PSS) guidelines following a request by the Haryana government on Wednesday, the central ministry in a communication said that this will be a one-time measure in view of the nationwide lockdown due to Covid-19 outbreak.

While there is no daily limit on the quantity of purchase of wheat from a farmer in a day, there is a cap on purchase of mustard (only 25 quintal per day) and gram (only 20 quintal per day) from one farmer.

The state government has also sought an increase in the quantity of mustard and gram procured by NAFED from 25% to 40%.

The procurement of mustard and gram is done under the PSS. The PSS comes into operation when the prices in open market fall below minimum support price (MSP). As per the existing norms, only 25% of the mustard and gram crop can be bought under the PSS by the procurement agencies at the minimum support price.