Government Has Put Together A Record Purchase On MSP, Informs Agri Minister

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said that the government has put together a record purchase of Rs 2.75 lakh crore on Minimum Selling Price (MSP) in 2021-22. Tomar shared this information on Thursday. 

The minister said that the 339.88 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) paddy has been procured at MSP during Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2022-23 up to 4 December 2022, for Rs 70,000 crore, profiting 30 lakh farmers. It can be mentioned that while paddy procurement in Kharif was 475 LMT in 2013, this has increased to 759 LMT in 2021-22. There has been a boost of 132 per cent in the procurement price in eight years, Tomar mentioned.

During the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2022-23, 187.92 LMT wheat was procured. This profited about 17 lakh farmers, with an MSP of about Rs 38 thousand crore, the union minister added. Rabi procurement was 251 LMT in 2013-14, which has rose to 433.44 LMT in 2021-22. In eight years. There has been an increase of 152 per cent in the buying price.

In 2014-15. the expense in terms of MSP value and total procurement was Rs 1.06 lakh crore, which increased to Rs 2.75 lakh crore in 2021-22 under the Modi government

Earlier, Tomar hosted a unique 'millets only' lunch at his place on Thursday afternoon. The lunch celebrated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to facilitate millets worldwide.

It may be recalled that the United Nations has designated 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM). In April 2018, the government announced millet to be a healthy cereal, and it was also included in the Poshan Mission campaign later.