The Madhya Pradesh Congress has called on the Centre to raise the state’s summer moong procurement target immediately. The party alleges that the current quota falls significantly short of actual production, putting many farmers at risk of selling below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Pradesh Congress Committee President Jitu Patwari, in a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, highlighted that procurement arrangements only cover around 25% of the state’s real moong production. Patwari expressed concerns that if this situation persists, numerous farmers will be compelled to sell their harvest below MSP rates.
Madhya Pradesh, being the leading producer of summer moong in the country, witnessed increased cultivation following encouragement from the Centre and state government to enhance pulse production. Farmers, as per State Congress President Patwari, heavily invested in various aspects of farming but are now encountering difficulties in selling their yield at the support price.
Protests by farmers in districts like Harda indicate a growing discontent with the procurement procedures. Patwari further pointed out issues faced by farmers, including low procurement targets, insufficient procurement centers, registration irregularities, delays in quality testing, and lack of payment transparency.
The Congress party demanded a revision of Madhya Pradesh’s procurement target to align with actual production figures. They also called for an expansion in the number and capacity of procurement centers, prompt resolution of registration and slot-booking problems, timely payments to farmers, and the deployment of senior officials to protest-hit districts.
Emphasizing the impact on the state government’s farm policy credibility, Patwari stressed that fair pricing is crucial for sustaining farmers’ interest in pulse cultivation, which directly affects food and pulse security in the country. He urged both the Centre and state government to address the issue promptly to prevent losses for moong growers.
