Statewide Bengal gram procurement begins today

Amaravati: Agriculture minister K Atchannaidu announced that procurement of Bengal gram has commenced across the state from today under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), ensuring remunerative prices to farmers.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the Minister said the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has approved the procurement of 94,500 metric tonnes of Bengal gram produced during the rabi marketing season 2025–26. The procurement will be carried out through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF). Formal orders from the Central Government were received on Tuesday.

The minister stated that procurement operations have been initiated in all districts through the CM app. District Level Procurement Committees (DLPCs), headed by the respective Joint Collectors, will supervise the process. Necessary guidelines have already been issued to ensure smooth implementation.

Procurement will be undertaken at Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs) in coordination with the departments of agriculture, horticulture, legal metrology, marketing, AP MARKFED and civil supplies. Trusted sub-agencies such as PACS, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), and self-help groups (SHGs) will be engaged to ensure transparency. This season, Bengal gram cultivation covered approximately 3.25 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh, with an estimated production of 3.77 lakh metric tonnes. Farmers have been advised to register their produce at the nearest RSKs, and procurement will be scheduled through the CM App accordingly. The procured stock will be stored in CWC and SWC warehouses, and payments will be credited directly to farmers’ accounts within 15 days, the Minister assured. He reiterated that the coalition government remains committed to safeguarding farmers’ welfare and ensuring fair prices for their produce.