Landmark first: Nafed to buy 32,000 metric tonnes of lentils from Bihar farmers at MSP

While the market is currently offering lentils at ₹6,300-6,400 per quintal, the MSP of ₹7,000 will give farmers a clear premium

Bihar’s lentil growers are set to receive a major windfall as the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (Nafed) prepares to procure around 32,000 metric tonnes of masoor dal this rabi season at the government-fixed minimum support price (MSP) of ₹7,000 per quintal.

Under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), payment will be credited directly into farmers’ bank accounts within three days of purchase. (Bloomberg)

This marks the first time the central procurement agency will lift lentils directly from the state’s fields on MSP. Until now, only paddy and wheat had enjoyed such assured purchases in Bihar. The move follows swift approval from the Union government after the state pitched for intervention during a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Pratyay Amrit on February 11.

State agriculture minister Ram Kripal Yadav described the decision as “a big happy news” for farmers. “For the first time, pulses will also be procured at MSP in Bihar,” he said, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the green light. “This will not only raise farmers’ income but also give a strong push to pulse production.”

Nafed’s Bihar head, Ranjay Kumar, confirmed that buying will be handled through primary agriculture credit societies (PACS) and Vyapar Mandals. “We have a 60-day window to complete the procurement, which will begin on the date announced by the food and civil supplies department,” he told reporters.

Officials say the timing is perfect. While the market is currently offering lentils at ₹6,300-6,400 per quintal, the MSP of ₹7,000 gives farmers a clear premium. Last year, the Centre had cleared procurement of mustard, gram and lentils, but the exercise could not take off because open-market rates stayed higher than MSP. This season, Bihar is expected to produce about 137,000 metric tonnes of masoor, giving Nafed enough volume to meet its target.

Under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), payment will be credited directly into farmers’ bank accounts within three days of purchase. The entire process will be Aadhaar-linked and fully transparent, the minister assured. The state government will set up purchase centres, handle registration and ensure smooth storage and payment.

Yadav appealed to lentil growers to register in large numbers. “The more you register, the more you benefit,” he said, adding that chief minister Nitish Kumar’s government is committed to delivering every possible advantage to farmers on time.

The development is being seen as part of a larger push to diversify cropping patterns beyond rice and wheat, reduce the country’s dependence on imported pulses and strengthen rural incomes. For Bihar’s small and marginal farmers, who form the backbone of the state’s lentil belt, the assured MSP buy could prove to be a game-changer this season.