Lack of government procurement in Punjab has upset moong producers

10-Oct-2024 05:50 PM

Chandigarh. The issue of moong procurement in Punjab has been an important factor in increasing the distance between farmers and the state government this year. In the absence of government procurement, farmers are forced to sell their moong at prices much below the minimum support price (MSP).

It is understood that the Punjab government has not yet purchased even a single grain of moong from farmers in the current year, while private traders are purchasing it at a lower price.

Due to this, farmers are incurring losses. Two years ago, when the current government came to power, it had announced that this pulse (moong) would be purchased from farmers at MSP to encourage crop diversification program,

but the producers say that there has been no government procurement of it in any market and hence they have to sell it to private traders at a price lower than the support price.

The minimum support price of moong has been increased by 1.4% from last year's Rs. 8555 per quintal to Rs. 8682 per quintal this time, while farmers in Punjab were forced to sell their produce at a price 800-900 rupees less than this.

However, after the government's assurance, farmers had increased the area of ​​moong cultivation and its average yield rate was also high, so farmers were successful to some extent in reducing their losses. Producer organizations say that if the government makes a policy, then it must also follow it (implement it).

The Punjab government first implemented the policy but stopped implementing it within just two years. In this way, leaving the farmers at the mercy of the market is not a good thing and farmers may get discouraged from cultivating moong in future.

In such a situation, the success of the crop diversification scheme will be in jeopardy. Due to this, farmers have again turned towards paddy, which may increase the incidents of stubble burning in the state.