The Central government on Monday approved purchase of one lakh tonnes of toor dal (pigeon pea) from Maharashtra's farmers, an official statement said.
The Agriculture Ministry statement said that on May 5, request for implementation of Price Support Scheme was again received from the Maharashtra Government, which, in a fresh proposal, requested procurement of 20 lakh quintal (2 lakh metric tonnes) of up to May 31.
Maharshtra also informed that it expects production to reach 20.35 lakhs meteric tonnes (MT).
To keep up with the increased production, the harvesting period of kharif toor was revised from September to March and was extended up to May 31.
"Considering the proposal, this department has approved the procurement of one lakh MT of toor under PSS up to May 31," the Ministry said, adding that the procurement was approved on the condition that the state will not reimburse or adjust from procurement already made in April and will make necessary arrangements for storage and other amenities required for smooth functioning of the scheme.
Mahrashtra, in a proposal for procurement of toor during the current Kharif season 2016-17, had suggested that the production of toor in the state will be 12.56 lakhs MT and requested procurement of 2 lakhs quintal between November 2016 to January 29.
"This proposal was transferred to Department of Consumer Affairs to create a buffer stock of pulses by making procurement directly from the farmers at minimum support price (MSP) plus bonus under PSF. This procurement continued till April 22, 2017 and around 4 lakhs MT of Toor was procured which is 31.95 per cent of total expected production," it added.
--IANS
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