1 month ago
1
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has urged the Centre to heighten the procurement quantity of Bengal gram nether the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Rabi Marketing Season 2025–26, citing a crisp emergence successful accumulation and marketplace arrivals.
In a missive addressed to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu requested that the procurement bounds beryllium accrued from the presently approved 94,500 MT to 4,57,365 MT, successful enactment with revised accumulation estimates.
The Centre had earlier approved procurement of pulses nether PSS, including Bengal gram, based connected archetypal estimates of 3.77 lakh MT. However, updated figures from the State Agriculture Department bespeak that the country nether cultivation accrued to 3,88,413 hectares, with expected accumulation rising importantly to 4.57 lakh MT.
Procurement operations began connected February 21 crossed large producing districts, with AP Markfed acting arsenic the nodal agency. So far, astir 70,000 MT had been procured nether the PSS, benefiting astir 26,000 farmers. Additionally, NAFED procured 12,000 MT nether the Atmanirbhar scheme, taking full procurement to 82,000 MT.
Officials noted that marketplace prices for Bengal gram were presently ranging betwixt ₹5,000 and ₹5,200 per quintal, importantly beneath the Minimum Support Price of ₹5,875. This spread prompted farmers to bring ample quantities to authorities procurement centres.
With arrivals continuing and higher output expected, the State authorities warned that the existing procurement headdress whitethorn beryllium insufficient, perchance forcing farmers into distress sales. It truthful urged the Centre to revise the procurement bounds to screen the accrued accumulation and support farmers’ interests fully.
