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Chandigarh, July 7
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday accused the Punjab Government of failing to procure moong at the Minimum Support Price, alleging that farmers have been forced to rely on private traders after state procurement agencies failed to enter the market.
In a statement, Badal questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the government’s failure to honour its assurance of procuring the entire moong crop at the MSP. He alleged that farmers are being compelled to sell their produce to private buyers for between Rs 6,500 and Rs 7,000 per quintal against the notified MSP of Rs 8,780 per quintal.
The SAD president claimed this was the fourth consecutive season in which moong growers had been disappointed. He said the Chief Minister had encouraged farmers to cultivate moong in 2022, promising that the entire crop would be purchased at the MSP.
Badal alleged that state procurement agencies purchased only around 1 percent of the crop brought to mandis in 2022, while procurement dropped below 1 percent in 2023. He further claimed that no procurement had been carried out by state agencies since the 2024 season.
He said the government’s approach was discouraging the cultivation of moong, which can improve farm incomes and enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation. He added that the crop remains vulnerable to unseasonal rains and diseases, making government support essential for growers.
Badal said the Shiromani Akali Dal would ensure procurement of the entire moong crop at the Minimum Support Price if the party forms the government in Punjab after the 2027 Assembly elections.
