CM urges PM to approve procurement amid crisis
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah urges PM Modi for urgent action on declining pulse prices, warning delays could harm farmers and spark protests.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for urgent intervention into the crisis confronting farmers in several districts with the declining market price for pulses.
In a letter dated December 8 and made public on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah warned that any further delay in procurement of pulses could deepen losses and undermine farmers’ confidence in a system made to protect them.
“The Karnataka government has already submitted a formal proposal seeking immediate approval for procurement of dal under Minimum Support Price (MSP) through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation Limited (NCCF). However, even as the day of arrival of the new crop in the market is approaching, we are still waiting for the response of the Central government,” he said.
The chief minister argued that withholding approval at this stage would destabilise the market and risk sparking protests. He said procurement needed to begin before the harvest reaches trading centres. “If they postpone procurement of toor daal at this crucial juncture, it could lead to farmer protests, a fall in prices and a significant erosion of confidence in the Minimum Support Price system,” he said.
The state expects more than 1.260 million metric tonnes of sorghum from 1.68 million hectares this Kharif season. The crop, a primary source of income across Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar, Raichur, Vijayapura, Koppal, Belgaum, Bellary, Vijayanagar, Bagalkote, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Chitradurga districts, is currently trading between ₹5,830 and ₹6,700 per quintal. The Centre has set the MSP at ₹8,000, creating a gap that Siddaramaiah said was pushing growers into distress.
The peak harvest will reach markets between December 2025 and January 2026, but central procurement centres are scheduled to open only in February and March. Siddaramaiah warned that the delay would result in significant income loss. When farmers sell below the guaranteed price, he said, the issue becomes one of confidence as much as economics. “Farmers have sown their crops trusting the promise of minimum support price given by the central government. Due to the delay, farmers in Karnataka are facing distress sales, debt trap and irreparable financial loss,” he said.
He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that central agencies begin purchasing immediately. “The farmers of Karnataka are only demanding that the Government of India implement the price already announced fairly. Therefore, with utmost seriousness and urgency, I urge you to immediately approve the purchase of toor dal under MSP through NAFED and NCCF and start the purchase immediately at the major procurement centres in Karnataka before the peak yield starts arriving,” he said.
Siddaramaiah framed the issue as a matter that goes beyond administration. Karnataka, he said, has played a critical role in the country’s food production, and the Centre’s response would reflect its commitment to the farming community. “This is not just an administrative decision. This is a moral test of our collective commitment to those who feed India. I expect an immediate and decisive response from the Central Government for the broader interests of farmers, federal cooperation and national food security,” he said.
