CM: Will procure mustard seeds from farmers under price support scheme

Guwahati: The Assam government will procure mustard seeds directly from the farmers at a higher rate under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Wednesday.
The government has enhanced the minimum support price for mustard seeds to Rs 5,450 per quintal as against the existing market rate of Rs 4,500-Rs 4,800 per quintal, which will bring an additional income of Rs 250 crore to the farmers of the state, Sarma told reporters here.
There are currently two procurement centres — Raha in Nagaon district and Amingaon in Kamrup — but the state government has decided to also use the 92 existing paddy procurement centres along with the nine centres of agricultural marketing for the purpose, Sarma said.
The procurement will be done through the Assam State Agricultural Board and Assam Food and Civil Supplies Corporation as the state-level agencies and NAFED as the central agency, he said. PTI