Moong procurement begins

Chandigarh, June 12

The state government has started the procurement of moong at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 7,275 per quintal.

With one acre expected to yield five quintals, farmers will possible make Rs 36,000 per acre between wheat harvesting and paddy transplantation.

This year, farmers have sown moong over around one lakh acres as compared with 50,000 acres last year. A yield of 4.75 lakh quintals is expected this year.

The state government has declared Markfed and cooperative societies as the state nodal agencies for the procurement and storage of moong.

The Punjab Mandi Board has also notified 40 grain markets for the procurement of the crop till July 31. The staff of Markfed and cooperative societies have been deputed in the notified mandis for procuring moong, besides facilitating the farmers.

As per data available with the Punjab Mandi Board, 1,503 quintals of moong have been brought to the mandis across the state, of which 878 quintals have been procured.

Markfed has procured 663 quintals on the MSP, while the remaining 215 quintals have been purchased by private agencies at a price above the MSP. Of the total produce brought to grain markets, 790 quintals (58 per cent) arrived in Jagraon — the highest so far — followed by Barnala with the arrival of 510 quintals.