Government says its procurement helping pulses fetch better prices in mandis

NEW DELHI: Direct procurement of pulses by state-run agencies at the minimum support price is helping farmers get better prices for their produce in the market, the government said on Tuesday.

Government agencies such as National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation, Food Corporation of India and Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium have started procurement of pulses as the crop has started arriving in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

This was informed at an interministerial meeting held under the chairmanship of Hem Pande, the secretary at the Department of Consumer Affairs. The meeting also reviewed prices and availability of pulses, the government said in a press release.

So far, 200 procurement centres have been set up in states producing pulses, it said, adding that more will be added after arrival of tur and arhar crops in October-November. Pande directed the procurement agencies to ensure that farmers get MSP for pulses and give wide publicity to their operations in the procuring pockets.