Centre approves MSP procurement for five crops

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved procurement of five key crops from Odisha under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism, providing major relief to farmers in the state.

The decision was taken during a virtual meeting with Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, where the Centre cleared procurement proposals worth over ₹1,428.31 crore.

The approved crops include moong, urad, groundnut, sunflower, and mustard. As per the breakdown, procurement of 34,492 metric tonnes of moong worth ₹302.42 crore and 1,19,387 metric tonnes of urad worth ₹931.21 crore has been sanctioned. Additionally, 20,219 metric tonnes of groundnut valued at ₹146.85 crore will be procured.

For oilseeds, the Centre approved procurement of 2,210 metric tonnes of sunflower worth ₹17.06 crore and 4,964 metric tonnes of mustard worth ₹30.77 crore.

The procurement will be carried out under the PM-AASHA scheme over a 90-day period, with the state already working on a PoS-based transparent procurement system.

Chouhan emphasised that the process must remain transparent and ensure direct benefit to farmers, preventing any role of middlemen. He stressed that MSP benefits should reach genuine producers in a timely manner.

Highlighting the importance of crop diversification, the minister also laid special focus on boosting sunflower cultivation in Odisha, assuring scientific and technical support from the Centre.

Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment, Chouhan said continuous monitoring will be ensured so that procurement remains fair and farmers receive their rightful dues without exploitation.