Centre targets high procurement of pulses through PSS, PSF schemes to reassure farmers, boost output | India News

NEW DELHI: The Centre is aiming to aggressively procure tur, urad and lentil from farmers through price support scheme (PSS) and price stabilisation fund (PSF) to give an assurance to the growers that their produce will be bought by govt. Two govt cooperatives — Nafed and NCCF — have been directed to start purchase of pulses aggressively to encourage farmers to boost output.
Sources said the directions were issued to the two cooperatives at a high level inter-ministerial meeting attended by officials from agriculture and consumer affairs departments and other stakeholders. Both the agencies have pre-registered around 21 lakh farmers for procuring their produce in key pulses producing states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh prior to sowing season.
While the fund allocated under PSS is meant for use to support farmers when market prices crash below the MSP, the PSF is used for stabilising the prices of agricultural commodities and protecting consumers.
The direction comes amid the govt’s commitment to buy 100% of urad, arhar and masur (lentil) varieties of pulses, which the country imports in substantial quantities, and prevent distress sale by farmers. “Now we are buying pulses not just at MSP but also at a price close to the rates at mandis. Unless we assure farmers that they will get remunerative price, they won’t grow pulses. This move will boost the country’s pulses production to become self-sufficient,” said a source.
Under the dynamic minimum assured procurement price (MAPP), the agriculture ministry has approved that agencies can buy tur and urad based on last three day average mandi prices.
In the last two years the govt agencies could not purchase these three varieties of pulses as mandis prices were ruling above the MSP because of decline in production and rise in demand. The arrival of tur at mandis is likely to increase by this month end. The govt will have to purchase pulses at MSP using the PSS since the prospects of robust crop has started impacting the mandi prices of tur below MSP of Rs 7,550 per quintal.
Govt extends free import of tur till March 2026
The govt on Monday extended the free import for tur dal till March 31 next year to keep prices under check. The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued the notification. The govt had allowed the import of tur under the “free category’ from May 15, 2021. Subsequently, the free regime has been extended from time to time. The existing free import policy was first introduced in May 2021 and has been extended several times amid faltering domestic production.