Lucknow: UP agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said on Tuesday that procurement of gram, lentil and mustard will be carried out from Apr 7 to Jun 30. During this period, the goal will be to directly benefit farmers through a transparent digital system, DBT payments and an extensive procurement network, he said.He said that state govt is continuously working to increase farmers’ income, ensure fair prices for crops and strengthen agricultural sector. He added that procurement of pulses and oilseeds at MSP will prove beneficial for farmers and make them economically stronger.Shahi said that price support scheme works as a safety shield for farmers. MSP has been fixed at Rs5,875 per quintal for gram, Rs7,000 per quintal for lentil, Rs6,200 per quintal for mustard and Rs8,000 per quintal for Arhar.He said that procurement targets have been fixed at 2.24 lakh metric tonnes for gram, 6.77 lakh metric tonnes for lentil and 5.3 lakh metric tonnes for mustard. He said that MSP rates have been increased this year to provide additional benefits to farmers. He said that MSP has been raised by Rs 225 per quintal for gram, Rs 300 per quintal for lentil and Rs 250 per quintal for mustard, which will directly increase farmers’ income. Shahi said that to ensure complete transparency in procurement process, Aadhaar-enabled POS machines have been installed at all procurement centres.Meanwhile, Shahi said that there was no shortage of fertilisers in the state and supplies are being maintained smoothly across all 75 districts.
