Full Procurement of Pigeon Pea

The government will procure the entire production of pigeon pea from farmers, announced Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. The procurement will be facilitated through the e-Samridhi platform, where farmers need to register. "The government will procure all pigeon pea produced by farmers," Chouhan stated while addressing a supplementary question in the Rajya Sabha.

Highest MSP Purchases Under Current Government

Chouhan highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the government has achieved the highest procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme. When comparing with the previous UPA government, Chouhan mentioned that between 2003-2004 and 2013-14, only 45 million metric tonnes were purchased under MSP. In contrast, the present NDA government has procured a total of 69.18 million metric tonnes between 2014-15 and 2023-24.

Additionally, he criticized the opposition for politicizing the issue and noted that the Swaminathan committee had recommended a 50 percent profit margin for farmers on their cost. However, the UPA government had ignored this recommendation. Referring to a cabinet note from the previous Manmohan Singh administration, Chouhan pointed out that it had refused the Swaminathan Commission's suggestions, arguing that a mechanical linkage between MSP and the cost of production would distort the market.

Thus, the government’s commitment to procuring all pigeon pea from farmers marks a significant step in supporting agricultural producers. With the implementation of this plan, facilitated through the e-Samridhi platform, farmers can expect better stability and assurance in their produce sales. As a result, the current government continues to demonstrate its dedication to enhancing farmer welfare through proactive measures.