Ensure no shortage of gunny bags, robust procurement for wheat: CM Saini

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has directed all procurement agencies to ensure smooth arrangements for the upcoming rabi marketing season 2025-26 so that farmers do not face any difficulties in selling their crops in mandis.

₹6,653.44 crore cash credit limit approved

Total wheat procurement target: 75 lakh MT

Mandis operational: 415 for wheat, 25 for barley, 11 for gram, 7 for lentils, 116 for mustard, 17 for sunflower

Cash credit limit approved: ₹6,653.44 crore

Payment timeline: 48-72 hours after exit gate pass

MSP (per quintal): Wheat: ₹2,425, barley: ₹1,980, gram: ₹5,650, lentil: ₹6,700, mustard: ₹5,950, sunflower: ₹7,280

Facilities for farmers: Gunny bags, seating arrangements, 53 Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens, toll-free helpline

108 mandis linked to e-NAM for digital transactions

Chairing a review meeting in Chandigarh, the CM emphasised that with an expected bumper wheat production, procurement agencies must be fully prepared. He instructed the marketing board to construct large sheds in vacant spaces within mandis to accommodate future needs.

“Robust arrangements should be ensured for the purchase of wheat in the mandis,” Saini stressed.

Officials informed the CM that 30% of rabi crops will be procured by the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, 40% by HAFED, 20% by Haryana State Warehousing Corporation, and 10% by the Food Corporation of India. A total of 75 lakh metric tonnes of wheat is set to be procured this season.

Procurement of mustard started on March 15 and lentils from March 20, and it will continue till May 1. Wheat, barley and gram procurement will begin on April 1, while sunflower procurement starts from June 1.

The government has secured a cash credit limit of Rs 6,653.44 crore for the rabi procurement. Additionally, banks have been instructed to ensure direct payments to farmers’ accounts within 48-72 hours after issuance of the exit gate pass.

Haryana contributes 25% of the wheat to the Central pool and ranks second in wheat production nationwide. This season, 415 mandis will be operational for wheat, 25 for barley, 11 for gram, 7 for lentils, 116 for mustard and 17 for sunflower.

The minimum support price (MSP) for wheat has been set at Rs 2,425 per quintal, Rs 1,980 per quintal for barley, Rs 5,650 per quintal for gram, Rs 6,700 per quintal for lentil, Rs 5,950 per quintal for mustard and Rs 7,280 per quintal for sunflower.

CM Saini directed officials to ensure no shortage of gunny bags and asked commission agents to arrange chairs for farmers. To support farmers and labourers in mandis, 53 Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens are operational. A toll-free Kisan Call Centre will be set up to address complaints.

Additionally, 108 mandis in Haryana are now connected to the e-NAM platform for better transparency in transactions.

All Deputy Commissioners have been ordered to form monitoring teams to oversee the procurement process and ensure smooth operations throughout the season.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Raja Sekhar Vundru, and Principal Secretary to the CM, Arun Gupta.