Union Minister Pralhad Joshi revealed that the Centre has sanctioned the purchase of 1 lakh metric tonnes of rabi chickpea from Karnataka at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This decision comes as a relief to chickpea farmers facing market price challenges in the state. The procurement, approved under the MSP scheme, will be at Rs 5,875 per quintal.
Joshi emphasized the significance of chickpea cultivation in Karnataka, covering around 9.24 lakh hectares. Due to the disparity between market rates and MSP, farmers have been encountering financial difficulties. In response to Joshi’s plea, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan endorsed the procurement of over 1 lakh metric tonnes of chickpea at the support price.
The current market price for chickpea falls below the MSP set for the Rabi Marketing Season 2026-27, raising concerns of further price declines. Joshi stressed the urgency of implementing the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for chickpea in Karnataka to address this issue. Acknowledging the support, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for their approval of the MSP procurement to aid Karnataka’s farmers.
