CHANDIGARH:Giving a big relief to the Moong cultivators across the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today extended the date of procurement of summer Moong crop on Minimum Support Price (MSP) by August 10th.
Divulging the details, the Chief Minister said that earlier the procurement of Moong crop on MSP in the state was to end on July 31st. However, he said that to facilitate the farmers for selling their crop, the state government has decided to extend this procurement season by August 10th. Bhagwant Mann said that those farmers who have not yet sold their crop can sell it now in the mandis by this date adding that Managing Director (MD) Markfed, which is state nodal agency for the procurement, Ramveer has been given necessary directions in this regard.
The Chief Minister further said that his government has also decided to bear the gap, upto Rs 1000 per quintal, for Moong crop sold below MSP to the farmers due to damage in grain. He said that this incentive will be given to all the Moongi cultivators, including those who have already sold their crop to private players. Bhagwant Mann said that he has already directed the officers to ensure that the process of payment of this gap funding to the concerned farmers is ensured at the earliest.
The Chief Minister said that so far the state government has purchased 4807 Metric Ton (MT) of Summer Moong in the state. He said that a payment worth Rs 32.23 crore has been released to the farmers for their produce, which amounts to 92.15% of the total payment due. Bhagwant Mann said that the remaining payment will also be released shortly in the coming days.
Pertinently, to encourage the farmers for crop diversification and supplement their income, the Chief Minister had in a maiden and path breaking initiative, started the procurement of the Summer Moong crop at a Minimum Support Price of Rs. 7275 per quintal directly from the farmers. With this initiative the farmers will get Rs. 36, 000 as an additional income with five quintals expected yield per acre in between Wheat harvest and Paddy cultivation. Giving affirmative response to appeal by Chief Minister, the farmers of the state have this year sown the Summer Moong crop over around one lakh acres of land as compared to 50, 000 acres last year.