The government is encouraging pulse cultivation, particularly ‘arhar’ and ‘urad’, in Naxal-affected districts and tribal areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to boost national production and increase farmers’ income. Assured buying will encourage farmers to expand cultivation and improve their income, while helping reduce India’s pulse imports.
The National Co-operative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF), tasked with piloting the project, has identified four districts in Jharkhand and five in Chhattisgarh for implementation. The NCCF will procure harvested pulses at the minimum support price (MSP), but farmers can sell to private traders if market prices exceed the MSP. The cooperative is also engaging in contract farming with pulses growers, offering them the option to sell to either NCCF or private traders.
Presentation – Dibyabharati Nayak
