Procurement agencies’ failure to intervene in the market has caused the price of the new greengram (moong) crop to slip below the minimum support price in the major producing States of Karnataka, Maharasthra and Madhya Pradesh, raising the hackles of farmers, particularly in Karnataka.

Sporadic farmers’ protests have broken out in Dharwad and are likely to spread to other parts of the State as beleaguered growers seek to attract the Government’s attention to their plight.

The Centre had directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and NAFED on August 31 to start immediate procurement of moong in Karnataka at the MSP, but there has been no action on the ground by the agencies. The Centre has announced a support price of ₹5,225 per quintal for moong, which also includes a bonus of ₹425 to incentivise farmers to produce more pulses.

“The government is yet to intervene and has not opened any procurement centres for moong so far,” said Chamarasa Malipatil, State President of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS). Moong has been trading below the support price across the State for over a month now.

“Even tur (arhar) is headed the same way,” Malipatil said, adding that the farmers’ body will chart its next course of action in Bengaluru on September 10 .

FCI officials said the procurement could start in a couple of days.

Even in Maharashtra, where a bigger moong crop is expected, Lalit Shah, chairman, Latur APMC, said government procurement has not yet started. Moong prices have been ruling in the range of ₹4,800-5,000 per quintal. Maruti Manpade, Member of the All India Kisan Sabha, said abnormal imports are weighing on the domestic prices. The government’s move to import from countries such as Mozambique and Myanmar is also dragging down prices.

Manpade said farmers should get at least ₹6,000 per quintal for moong.

The rebound in the monsoon, and high prices ahead of the planting season coupled with an increase in support price had prompted farmers to bring in more area under pulses this year. Farmers planted pulses in 142 lakh ha, almost 33 per cent higher than last year. Pulses production is expected to be around 20 million tonnes this year.

“The moong crop is big this year on higher sown area. As traders are taking a cautious approach in a bearish market, there is no significant buying at present,” said Sujay Hubli, a pulses processor in Gadag.

Praveen Dongre, Chairman of the Indian Pulses & Grains Association, said the pulses market has corrected by about 40 per cent in the recent past, on expectation of higher domestic crop and imports.

An estimated 3.5 million tonnes have been contracted for imports that will arrive between October 1 and January 31.

“The Centre should step in. By making procurements at the MSP and buying the imported material, the government can build a buffer of one or two million tonnes,” Dongre said. The government, he added, should look to remove the stock holding limits.

India is the world’s largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses. India imported 5.7 million tonnes last year as domestic production fell to 17.06 million tonnes on the back of an erratic monsoon. Domestic consumption is estimated to be between 22-23 million tonnes.

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