Red Gram MSP Procurement Covers Only 25% Of Output: Samithi
The procurement covered only about 25 per cent of the estimated 1.6 lakh tonnes of red gram production and urged the State government to take up additional procurement if prices fail to stabilise: Bojja Dasaratha Rami Reddy
ANANTAPUR: Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi president Bojja Dasaratha Rami Reddy has welcomed the Centre’s decision to procure 40,000 tonnes of red gram at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) in the combined Kurnool district, following a request from the Andhra Pradesh government in view of low market prices.
However, he said the procurement covered only about 25 per cent of the estimated 1.6 lakh tonnes of red gram production and urged the State government to take up additional procurement if prices fail to stabilise.
Dasaratha Rami Reddy also demanded that the Centre announce a clear MSP procurement policy for all irrigated dry and dryland crops in Rayalaseema, including maize, Bengal gram, red gram, black gram, green gram, jowar and millets, on par with paddy procurement in coastal districts.
Expressing concern over drought-hit conditions, he said maize was selling nearly ₹600 below MSP, while large quantities of Bengal gram remained unsold in Rayalaseema and Prakasam districts. He urged the governments to ensure timely and adequate MSP procurement, especially in view of higher production expected this year.