Mumbai, 04 Jan 2024 (Commoditiescontrol):In a significant move to support pulse farmers, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah unveiled a new tur procurement portal on Thursday. This digital platform enables farmers to register and sell their tur produce to the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF). The procurement is either at the government-mandated minimum support price (MSP) or the prevailing market price, offering flexibility and financial security to the farmers.
Looking ahead, the government plans to extend this initiative to include urad, masoor, and maize farmers, further broadening its agricultural support scope.
At the inauguration, Minister Shah also facilitated a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of approximately Rs 68 lakh to 25 farmers, demonstrating the portal's immediate impact on facilitating tur sales.
NAFED and NCCF, both cooperative entities, play a pivotal role in procuring pulses on behalf of the government. This strategy aims to maintain a buffer stock, stabilizing market prices and ensuring steady supply.
The portal's launch marks a significant step for tur farmers. Before the sowing season, they can register their produce for sale to NAFED and NCCF at the MSP. The flexibility of this system allows farmers to choose between selling to these organizations or the open market, based on which offers a better rate. In cases where market prices surpass the MSP, a formula will be used to determine an average rate, ensuring fair compensation for the farmers.
Minister Shah emphasized the importance of this initiative, noting that uncertain pricing has historically deterred farmers from cultivating pulses. By guaranteeing procurement and pricing through the portal, the government aims to revolutionize the agriculture sector and bolster self-sufficiency in pulse production. He reaffirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to procuring tur from farmers.
Addressing the broader context of pulse production in India, Shah acknowledged the country's ongoing reliance on imports for certain pulse varieties, excluding chana and moong. The government's target is to achieve self-reliance in pulse production by December 2027, aiming to eliminate pulse imports from January 2028.
The Minister urged Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs), and progressive farmers to raise awareness about the portal and encourage farmer participation.
Highlighting the progress in pulse production, Shah noted an increase from 19.2 million tonnes in the 2013-14 crop year to 26.05 million tonnes in 2022-23. This surge is attributed to a more than two-fold increase in MSP during this period. Despite these gains, domestic production still falls short of consumption levels, necessitating continued imports.
The event was also attended by Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of State for Cooperation B L Verma, and Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Ashwini Choubey.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-9820130172)
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