High moisture content is hampering tur procurement in Maharashtra, according to a senior state government official.
“Our officers have opened tur procurement centres in 11 districts, but they yet to procure any quantity due to very high moisture content,” the official, working at the state marketing federation, said.
The tur being offered by farmers has moisture content of 15-17 per cent, against 12 per cent stipulated by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation, the nodal procurement agency, he said.
The high moisture content is attributed to untimely rains in key growing areas, which lasted until end-November.
The state has opened 47 centres in 11 districts and expects to buy at least 10,000-20,000 tonnes of tur in the next two months, he said.
The Centre has increased the minimum support price for tur to Rs 3,000, and also assured Rs 500 as one-time bonus for any two peak arrival months, to be decided by the procurement agency. The official said that tur buying would gather momentum in the next six-seven days.