New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) The government on Thursday approved the procurement of 54,166 metric tonnes (MT) of moong under the price support scheme from farmers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat for the summer crop season 2025–26 as part of the Centre’s policy to incentivise the production of pulses in the country.

Similarly, the Government has approved the procurement of 50,750 MT of groundnut under the price support scheme (PSS) in Uttar Pradesh for the summer crop season.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also given approval to extend the period of procurement for red gram in Andhra Pradesh by another 15 days up to June 26, keeping the interest of farmers of the state.

In order to incentivise farmers and enhance the domestic production of pulses while reducing the country’s dependence on imports, the government has permitted the procurement of tur (arhar), urad, and masur under the PSS up to 100 per cent of the production of the respective state for the procurement year 2024–25.

Furthermore, in the Union Budget 2025, the government announced the continuation of this initiative for an additional four years, up to 2028–29, wherein procurement of these pulses will be undertaken up to 100 percent of State production through the Central Nodal Agencies, namely the NAFED and the NCCF, with the aim of achieving national self-sufficiency in pulse production.

The Government of India is implementing the integrated scheme Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), which encompasses the Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF). The overarching objective of this initiative is to ensure assured and remunerative prices for farmers’ agricultural produce, thereby protecting their income and securing their livelihood against market fluctuations. PSS is implemented as and when the market prices of notified pulses and oilseeds, and copra fall below the notified MSP during the peak harvesting period to provide a remunerative price to the farmers.

–IANS

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