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Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The moong (green gram) procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) has become a burden for the state government, which is already grappling with financial difficulties.
Under pressure from farmers, the recent procurement drive has resulted in an additional financial burden of around ?1,500 crore on the state government.
The central government had approved a target of 3.5 lakh tonnes of moong procurement for Madhya Pradesh. Only this quantity will be lifted and paid for by the Centre. However, the actual procurement in the state reached 7.5 lakh tonnes. The Centre has refused to take the excess 4 lakh tonnes, meaning the state government must bear the cost from its own budget.
Moong was procured at a rate of ₹8,682 per quintal. Initially, the state government was not in favor of procuring moong. It had also expressed concerns about the heavy use of pesticides in moong cultivation, which poses risks to public health.
However, due to pressure from the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), the government was compelled to bow and begin procurement at MSP. The state is now requesting the central government to increase its procurement quota, but the Centre is unwilling to approve any purchase beyond the initially set target.
The state already has to borrow heavily to run various welfare schemes. This additional burden has further strained its finances. A senior official mentioned that the excess procurement beyond the Centre’s target is now the state’s responsibility. He added that efforts will be made to auction off the moong to recover as much of the cost as possible.
