Madhya Pradesh Farmers Struggle with Moong Procurement Amid Government Limits and Price Discrepancies

Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are encountering difficulties with the summer moong crop. Initially, after a prolonged wait, the state government commenced the purchase of moong on June 24, and this will continue until July 31. However, the purchase quantity has been capped at 8 quintals per hectare, whereas in many districts, the yield is as high as 15 quintals per hectare. As a result, farmers cannot sell their entire crop at the minimum support price (MSP) and will be forced to sell the excess produce in the open market, where prices are currently below the MSP.

The MSP for moong is Rs 8558 per quintal, whereas the price in the mandis ranges from Rs 6000 to Rs 8000 per quintal. According to the latest data from the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry, the average retail price of moong is around Rs 118 per kg. While farmers receive Rs 60-80 per kg for their moong, consumers in the market have to pay between Rs 120-150 per kg.

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh, raised concerns about the government's decision not to purchase the entire moong crop from farmers. He questioned Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on why the entire crop is not being bought despite his position. Singh also criticized the import of moong from foreign countries before the local harvest is available. This year, the Madhya Pradesh government has limited moong purchases to a maximum of 8 quintals per hectare, while the state's average productivity is 10 to 12 quintals per hectare, with some districts producing over 15 quintals per hectare. The national average for moong production is 9.85 quintals per hectare.

माननीय कृषि मंत्री जी @ChouhanShivraj (आप अभी तक Modi Pariwar में हैं जबकि बाक़ी सब Modi Pariwar से निकल चुके हैं) आपके चुनाव क्षेत्र में व नर्मदा घाटी में बड़े पैमाने पर मूँग की फसल होती है। आपके कृषि मंत्री रहते हुए किसानों की पूरी फसल क्यों नहीं ख़रीदी जा रही है? यह भी पता…

— Digvijaya Singh (@digvijaya_28) June 26, 2024

In this situation, the entire moong crop will not be purchased from the farmers. They will be forced to sell their produce in the mandis, where prices are currently below the MSP. Farmers argue that since moong production has increased this year, the government should have increased its purchases accordingly. Instead, the government has reduced the purchase limit per hectare, forcing farmers to sell their produce in the mandis at prices lower than the MSP.

Kedar Shankar Sirohi, president of the farmers' cell of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, told Rural Voice that the MSP for moong is Rs 8558 per quintal, while market prices range between Rs 6000 to Rs 8000 per quintal. With increased moong production, the government should have ramped up its purchases, but instead, it has imposed limits. Sirohi points out that while the government imports pulses from foreign countries, it is reluctant to buy domestically produced pulses. For the upcoming Kharif season, the central government has increased the minimum support price of moong by only 1.45 percent to Rs 8682 per quintal, despite a 6.1 percent rise in input costs.

In Madhya Pradesh, summer moong production has increased in recent years due to higher MSP for pulses and farmers receiving good prices. However, this year, farmers are not getting fair prices for moong, and there are issues with government procurement.