LUCKNOW, 01 APRIL: Procurement of wheat started on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) from Friday in Uttar Pradesh.
On the first day, farmers reached 3989 purchasing centers with wheat, where the process of wheat procurement started. Wheat procurement will be done in the state till June 15.
The government has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at Rs 2015 per quintal for the Rabi marketing year 2022-23, which is Rs 40 more than last year. The government has set a target of purchasing 60 lakh metric tonnes of wheat this year. To sell wheat, farmers will have to register online. So far 148383 farmers have registered for selling Rabi produce.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while reviewing with high-level officials on Friday, once again gave clear instructions that the money for wheat purchase should be transferred to the bank accounts of farmers within 72 hours. The officers should make all necessary arrangements for the procurement of wheat in their respective districts so that the farmers do not face any problem.
Yogi said that the purchase centers should be selected in such a way that farmers do not have to travel long distances to sell their wheat. There should be adequate arrangements for the protection of wheat at storage godowns and purchasing centers. Farmers should get minimum support price for their produce. Wheat should be procured directly through farmers with complete transparency at all centers and the District Magistrate should ensure that wheat is not purchased from farmers at a rate less than Rs.2015 per quintal and there should never be any involvement of middlemen in wheat purchase.
Chief Minister Yogi also directed the officials to ensure timely lifting of the crop from the mandis and make all necessary arrangements for the farmers in the mandis.
According to the officials of the department, till now more than 148383 farmers have registered themselves to sell their produce. For the convenience of the farmers, 4593 centers out of six thousand have been opened. On the first day, procurement has started at 3980 centres.
A spokesperson of the state government said that the wheat would be procured by the Food and Civil Supplies Department. UP Sahakari Union (PCF), UP Sahakari Union Limited (PCU), Mandi Parishad, UP Consumer Cooperative Federation (UPS), SFCs and BFCs have been designated as procurement institutions. Procurement of Wheat under Minimum Support Price Scheme In order to benefit the farmers at the grassroot level, the UP government has introduced new equipment and technology, so that the farmers do not get the rate less than the MSP of their produce.
According to the spokesperson, the procurement is being done on the basis of biometric verification of farmers or their authorized representative through e-pop at the centres.
