New Delhi: Government has so far procured 3,273 tonnes of kharif moong directly from farmers at the support price plus bonus rate to protect the interest of growers.


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Normally, the arrival of most kharif (summer) crops begins from October. But the new moong crop has started hitting the market early and mandi prices are ruling below the minimum support price (MSP) level.


To help farmers from falling prices, the government has started procurement of pulses at the MSP plus bonus rate. The procured pulses are kept as buffer stock, which the government aimed at expanding to around 2 million tonnes this year.


"The government agencies have procured 3,273.16 tonnes of moong as on September 19, 2016, benefiting 330 farmers," the Food Ministry said in a statement.


Three government agencies -- Food Corporation of India (FCI), Nafed and SFAC -- have set up about 200 centres to procure moong directly from farmers at the MSP Rs 4,800 per quintal and bonus of Rs 425 per quintal.


Pulses procurement commenced in the second week of this month in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Parades, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.


The agencies have been directed to publicize their procurement activities among farmers through various modes in local languages in pulses producing states so that farmers can get the benefit of MSP.


The government is aggressively procuring pulses as it wants to encourage farmers to grow lentils in the ensuing rabi season beginning next month.


The country's pulses output is targeting to harvest bumper 20-21 million tonnes of pulses this year on hopes of good monsoon after two straight years of drought.


The severe drought had dragged down the pulses production to 16.47 million tonnes in 2015-16 and 17.15 million tonnes in 2014-15 from the record of 19.25 million tonnes in 2013-14, prompting price hikes.