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Mustard procurement in Haryana begins today
Agencies look forward to resolve snags related to social distancing measures before large-scale wheat purchase
Mustard procurement set to begin at 165 centres across Haryana on Wednesday will be a test for the state government. To overcome the coronavirus outbreak during the procurement season, the state government not only has increased the number of purchase centres from last year’s 64, but also capped the number of farmers visiting these centres per day at 100.
The market committees have been asked to ensure that the produce arrives at the centres on the basis of e-gate pass available only to registered and verified farmers. The mustard procurement will also provide an opportunity to agencies to iron out snags pertaining to social distancing measures and hitches at newly created makeshift centres before April 20, when wheat procurement, estimated at 70-80 lakh MT as compared to 7-8 lakh MTs of mustard, would start on a much bigger scale.
“The mustard procurement will help us learn and figure out whether the ‘100 farmer a day’ model is good or needs modification during wheat procurement,” an official said.
Sanjeev Kaushal, additional chief secretary, agriculture, said the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (Hafed) and Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC) will retain 75% of the mustard procured this season and auction it through commodity exchanges with the government’s approval.
“The mustard will be procured by the agencies at MSP of ₹4,425 per quintal and the profit or loss during the auction will be borne by the state government,” he said. The remaining 25% mustard will be procured by the agencies for National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed). “It’s a proactive step of Haryana government to purchase the entire mustard produce at MSP. The price support scheme (PSS) under which the procurement of mustard is done has been relaxed,” Kaushal added.
Notably, Union agriculture ministry had last week increased the daily procurement limit for mustard and gram from 25 quintals to 40 quintals per farmer.
Arhtiyas to get higher commission
Officials said handling charges of the arhtiyas (commission agents) have also been increased from ₹40 per quintal to ₹55 per quintal for the 75% of procurement done by the state agencies.
