In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, Government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP from farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes, as was done in previous seasons.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is progressing at a good pace in the procuring States & UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and Gujarat with purchase of over 210.49 LMTs of paddy upto 01.11.2020 against the last year corresponding purchase of 175.48 LMT showing an increase of 19.95 % over last year. Out of the total purchase of 210.49 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 148.07 LMT which is 70.34 % of total procurement.

About 17.74 Lac farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS

procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs. 39740.54 crore.

Further, based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.10 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS). Further, sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala was also given.

For other States/UTs, approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for procurement of Pulses, Oilseeds and Copra under PSS so that procurement of FAQ grade of these crops can be made at notified MSP for the year 2020-21 directly from the registered farmers, if the market rate goes below MSP during the notified harvesting period in the respective States/UTs by the Central Nodal Agencies through State nominated procuringagencies.

Upto 01.11.2020, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 10571.140 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs. 57.83 Crores benefitting 6607 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. Similarly, 5089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having MSP value of Rs.

52.40 Crore has been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In respect of Copra and Urad, rates are ruling above MSP in most of the major producing States. The respective State/UTs Governments are making necessary arrangements for commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective States based on the arrivals in respect of Kharif Pulses and Oilseeds

Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Till 01.11.2020 a quantity of 633719 cotton bales valuing Rs.184563 lakh has been procured benefitting 120437 farmers.

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APS