Lok Sabha Question No. 5466 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-05
Subject: Monitoring of Procurement Centres of Agricultural Produce
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Chhatar Singh Darbar, Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5466

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5 TH  APRIL, 2022

## MONITORING OF PROCUREMENT CENTRES OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

5466.  SHRI CHHATAR SINGH DARBAR:

SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कल् याण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government monitors the procurement centres of crops like groundnut, mustard, wheat, cotton and potato produced by farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कल् याण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a)  to  (b)  :  Government  extends  price  support  for  paddy  and  wheat  through  the  Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State Agencies. Under this policy, whatever food grains are offered by farmers within the stipulated period & conforming to the specifications prescribed by Government are purchased at Minimum Support Price (MSP) by the State Government agencies including FCI for Central Pool. Further, different types of nutri-cereals and maize are  procured  by  State  Governments  itself  in  consultation  with  FCI  to  the  extent  that  the concerned  State  Government  may  utilise  the  same  for  distribution  under  Targeted  Public Distribution System (TPDS) as well as Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).

Oilseeds,  pulses  and  copra  of  Fair  Average  Quality  (FAQ)  are  procured  from registered farmers under Price Support Scheme under Umbrella Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), as per its prescribed guidelines at MSP in consultation  with  the  concerned  State  Government.  Cotton  and  Jute  are  also  procured  by Government at MSP through Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and Jute Corporation of India (JCI) respectively. Besides, Government implements Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement  of  agriculture  and  horticulture  commodities  which  are  generally  perishable  in nature and for which Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not announced.

For  making  effective  procurement  by  Government  agencies  at  MSP  and providing maximum benefits of MSP to the farmers, procurement centres are opened by respective State Government Agencies and Central Nodal Agencies like NAFED, FCI etc. after taking into account the production, marketable surplus, convenience of farmers and availability of other logistics / infrastructure such as storage and transportation etc. large number of the purchase centres in addition to the existing Mandis and depots / godowns are  also  established  at  key  points  for  the  convenience  of  farmers.  These  procurement centres are continuously monitored by state Governments, central nodal agencies & state procuring  agencies  for  providing  maximum  benefits  as  per  the  norms  of  respective schemes guidelines.

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