Nafed procures 2.02 lt from Gujarat: Centre’s groundnut procurement from state lowest in six years

The central govt procured 2.02 lakh metric tonnes (lt) groundnut from Gujarat on the minimal reinforce worth (MSP) within the Kharif advertising and marketing season 2020-21 — the bottom procurement since 2016.

Additionally, for the primary time previously six years, the groundnut procurement from the state has remained under the allocated quota.

The procurement operations additionally ended prior to time table, as not up to one-fourth of the entire registered farmers bought their produce to the Nationwide Agricultural Cooperative Advertising and marketing Federation of India Restricted (Nafed).

In keeping with information to be had with the Nafed, general 2.02 lt groundnut used to be procured from Gujarat between October 26 and January 12. That is simplest part of 4 lt quota to begin with sanctioned by way of the Central govt for bodily procurement of groundnut from Gujarat underneath its worth reinforce scheme (PSS), officials of Nafed stated.

Jayesh Radadiya, Minister of Meals, Civil Provide and Client Affairs of Gujarat, stated that the Centre had in reality licensed general quota of 11 lt for Gujarat. The procurement operations got here to an finish on January 12, stated officials of Gujarat State Civil Provides Company Restricted (GSCSCL), the Gujarat govt endeavor which used to be engaged because the state stage company (SLA) by way of Nafed for operating procurement operations.

Just one.13 lakh farmers – which is round 24 in line with cent of four.69 lakh farmers who had were given themselves registered to promote their groundnut to the federal government — became up at procurement centres arrange by way of GSCSCL on behalf of Nafed. Out of them, groundnut of three,558 used to be rejected because of no longer assembly truthful moderate high quality norms whilst crop of 109 farmers used to be procured.

The federal government had made those procurements on the MSP of Rs 5,275 in line with quintal and the entire procurement of two.02 lt is value Rs 1,068 crore. Information presentations that 99 in line with cent of farmers had been paid towards procurement in their groundnut.

Nafed has been shopping groundnut, the second one maximum vital money crop of the state after cotton, from Gujarat once a year since 2016. NAFED had procured 2.16 lakh tonnes (lt) of the oilseed from Gujarat in 2016-17, which rose to eight.28 lt, 4.25 lt and Five lt within the following 3 cropping years.

However this yr, the procurement used to be taking place within the backdrop of farmers’ protests in New Delhi towards the 3 new farm rules, which farmers declare, would spell doom for agricultural produce marketplace committee (APMC) machine.

However Radadiya stated the low turnout and underutilisation of quota used to be because of upper costs of groundnut in open marketplace. “Marketplace used to be up this yr because the very starting of the groundnut advertising and marketing season. Costs in open marketplace have been Rs 5,500 to Rs 5,750 as in comparison to Rs 5,275 MSP,” Radadiya advised The Indian information on Tuesday.

Greater than 27,000 farmers have been looking ahead to cost as of January Four after promoting their groundnut to the federal government. However the minister stated that used to be no longer an element dissuading farmers to promote their oilseed to govt.

“On a median, we’re liberating cost to farmers inside per week. That is an ongoing procedure however there used to be no extend in bills in anyway,” he added.

SS Srivastava, supervisor of Ahmedabad department of Nafed additionally stated that upper costs of groundnut in agricultural produce marketplace committee (APMC) mandis used to be the rationale of general decrease procurement. “Why the farmers would come to govt when he’s getting Rs5400 or Rs5500 in marketplace,” he stated.

The chief additionally rejected recommendation of extend in cost being a think about decrease turnout of farmers. “Should you analyse information of APMCs, modal fee is ruling above MSP. So, cost doesn’t come into image,” stated Srivastava.

Bhupat Kakadiya, a farmer from Magharvada village in Rajkot concurs.

“Costs in open marketplace have been upper than MSP once I carted my 15 quintal groundnut to procurement centre in Rajkot. However my groundnut reputedly regarded no longer of easiest high quality and I feared that I may get cheaper price in APMC. Due to this fact, I bought my groundnut to govt on January 8. I were given cost on January 22,” Kakadiya, who has been promoting his oilseed crop to govt for the previous 3 years stated, including, “This yr, the procurement used to be fairly clean. However the one grievance used to be that the federal government had set the MSP low.”

Even on Tuesday, modal fee of groundnut in Rajkot and Gondal APMCs, the 2 greatest wholesale markets of groundnut within the state, have been upper than the MSP.

Kishor Viradiya, president of Saurashtra Oil Turbines Affiliation (SOMA), the Jamnagar-based organisation of oil millers, stated imports from China has saved costs company in APMCs within the state. “China has aggressively imported Indian peanuts and groundnut oil, serving to stay costs of groundnut up in home marketplace. Groundnut of truthful moderate high quality is promoting above Rs 1,100 even these days,” he stated.

Information to be had with Agricultural & Processed Meals Export Building Authority (APEDA) presentations India exported 3.69 lakh MT groundnut value Rs 3,113 crore between April and November closing yr.

Gujarat is the biggest manufacturer of groundnut and the farmers had sown the oilseed crop in report 20.65 lakh hectare in closing Kharif season. In its First Complex Estimate, the state govt had pegged the manufacturing of the groundnut at 54.64 lakh MT however has since revised it to 38.27 lakh MT within the 2d Complex Estimate.