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Moong procured below MSP by pvt players, cultivators count losses in Punjab
Markfed to start purchases at Jagraon mandi in Ludhiana from Monday, followed by Moga, Amritsar and Ferozepur from later this week
Despite the Punjab government promising to purchase moong (green gram) at a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹7,755 per quintal, as much as 60% of the legume (50,000 quintals) that has arrived in state mandis so far has been purchased at a much lower rate by private players. Markfed, a state-managed cooperative society, is yet to start buying the produce, forcing farmers to sell below MSP.
For the rest of the produce, the farmers have been able to get higher prices than MSP, with rates going as high as ₹8,600 per quintal.
The purchase season of moong started on June 1 and will culminate on July 31. The state government has been focusing on this rabi zaid (third crop sown between rabi and kharif seasons) moong as part of its push for crop diversification, and chief minister Bhagwant Mann, after assuming power, had announced that moong will be purchased on MSP.
According to the Punjab Mandi Board data, about 30,000 quintals of legumes have been bought by the private players at less than the MSP announced by the Centre for the current season. The data also reveals that for the remaining 20,000 quintals, the buyers have been paid as high as ₹8,600 per quintal.
Jagraon in Ludhiana is the main hub of moong marketing, and the industrial district is estimated to harvest 52,000 quintals, followed by 50,000 quintals in Amritsar and Moga.
Markfed, a state-managed cooperative society, which buys moong on MSP, has not purchased any stock this season resulting in a loss to the cultivators.
Punjab produced a record 4.05 lakh quintals of summer moong in 2022 but 86% of the total production was bought below the MSP of ₹7,275 and it failed to impress the farmers.
Although the moong arrival has seen a sharp rise of 319% than last year when only 12,000 quintals arrived till June 15.
Markfed’s Satnam Singh, who oversees green gram marketing in Jagraon, said that this time discolouration, high moisture content and poor-quality grains are being reported in the legume which has resulted in cultivators getting below MSP price.
Satnam Singh said the use of a weedicide to artificially speed up the maturation of the crop adversely affects the quality of the yield and it is reflected in the rates offered in the market.
“Cultivators across the state come to Jagraon to sell moong for an organised marketing set-up. Unlike last year, good quality stocks are being purchased by private buyers at higher than the MSP. But the legume failing to meet the prescribed norms is being offered lesser rates in the market,” the official said.
State agriculture officials said the provisional data suggest the crop was cultivated only on 20,000 hectares or 50,000 acres this season.
“Last year, the area under moong cultivation was 52,000 hectares,” said a functionary of the agriculture department.
Markfed chairperson Amandeep Singh Mohie said Punjab is expected to produce about 2.30 lakh quintals as the area under the legume came down this year.
“Initial market trend has been encouraging as farmers with good quality of grain have been paid much higher than the MSP. The rates have come down due to various factors, and Markfed will soon enter the market to stabilise the rates. From Monday, Markfed will start buying the legume in Ludhiana, and purchase operations would commence in other districts, including Moga, Amritsar and Ferozepur, later this week,” he said.
Mohie said the government is aware that a section of farmers have faced losses due to lesser rates. CM Bhagwant Mann, who also mans the cooperation portfolio, will take a final call on the possibility of awarding compensation, he said.
