Gujarat govt begins MSP procurement of Chana and Mustard worth over Rs 2,670 crore

Gandhinagar, April 21 (IANS) Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel on Monday launched the state-wide procurement of chana (gram) and mustard (raydo) crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP), marking a significant step toward safeguarding farmers’ incomes under the Centre’s Price Support Scheme (PSS).

Patel announced that the state government will procure 3.36 lakh metric tonnes of chana valued at Rs 1,903 crore and 1.29 lakh metric tonnes of mustard worth Rs 767 crore directly from farmers.

He said that a total of over 3.36 lakh farmers have registered online to sell their chana produce, while more than 1.18 lakh farmers have registered for mustard sales.

“To facilitate the procurement process, 179 purchase centres have been set up across the state for chana, and 87 centres for mustard,” the minister said.

He added that procurement will be carried out as per the MSP rates approved by the Union government — Rs 5,650 per quintal for chana and Rs 5,950 per quintal for mustard during the 2024-25 Rabi season.

“The government’s effort to buy crops at MSP aims to prevent financial loss to farmers and boost their income, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of farmer welfare,” he said.

Patel added that the state has formally begun the MSP procurement operations from today.

In Gujarat, chana (gram) and mustard (raydo) are among the key Rabi crops cultivated by a large section of the farming community, especially in the Saurashtra, North Gujarat, and central regions.

For the 2024–25 Rabi season, more than 3.36 lakh farmers across the state have registered online to sell their chana produce, while over 1.18 lakh farmers have registered for mustard.

Chana is widely grown in districts like Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, and parts of Saurashtra, owing to suitable agro-climatic conditions and its relatively lower water requirement.

Mustard is cultivated predominantly in North and Central Gujarat, with a significant presence in districts like Mehsana, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar.

--IANS

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