The Centre has given its nod for the procurement of green gram (moong dal) and black gram (urad dal) from the State in a big way.
In a communication to the State government on Friday, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare fixed the maximum quantity procurement of green gram at 16,900 tonnes and black gram at 58,425 tonnes. Last year too, the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) was permitted to procure pulses from the State but the quantity was much less. A senior official of the State government said the procurement was around 1,200 tonnes of black gram. For the first time, the State has received approval of the Centre to have the large-scale procurement done, says the official.
Date fixed
The procurement will begin on February 1 in the districts of Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar and Tiruvallur, all for green gram, and Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Tirupur besides Thoothukudi, all for black gram. In Cauvery delta districts, it will commence on April 1. In either case, the procurement will last 90 days.
The price has been fixed at ₹69.75 a kg for “moong dal” and ₹56 a kg for “urad dal”. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Marketing Board will procure pulses from farmers; sell them to agencies such as the NAFED and get reimbursed by the Centre later.