Lucknow, March 31 The Uttar Pradesh government will begin procuring pulses, oilseeds, and other crops for the 2026-27 rabi season at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) starting April 2, state Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Lok Bhavan media centre, Shahi outlined the state's strategy to ensure farmers receive remunerative prices through effective procurement arrangements.
He said that procurement of gram (chana), lentil (masoor), mustard (sarson), and tur (arhar) will be carried out from April 2 to June 30, as approved by the Centre.
The MSP has been fixed at ₹5,875 per quintal for gram, ₹7,000 for lentil, ₹6,200 for mustard, and ₹8,000 for tur, he added.
The minister stated that procurement targets have been set at 2.24 lakh metric tonnes for gram, 6.77 lakh metric tonnes for lentil, 5.30 lakh metric tonnes for mustard, and 1.14 lakh metric tonnes for tur.
To ensure transparency, Aadhaar-enabled Point of Sale (POS) machines have been installed at all procurement centres, enabling direct benefit transfer (DBT) of payments into farmers' bank accounts after verification, he said.
More than 190 procurement centres are planned to be set up this year, in addition to those operated by state-level agencies.
Highlighting achievements in the agriculture sector, Shahi said that the department spent over ₹5,700 crore on various schemes in the 2025-26 financial year, which is a record. He added that reforms in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana helped the state save ₹303 crore.
He further stated that 11.25 lakh farmers were provided seeds at a 50 per cent subsidy, while 12.73 lakh farmers received 54,847 quintals of seeds free of cost under seed distribution schemes.
To promote summer (zaid) crops, 31,950 quintals of seeds, including groundnut, urad, and moong, have been made available.
The minister said that adequate fertiliser stocks of 25.41 lakh metric tonnes are currently available in the state, ensuring that farmers do not face inconvenience.
Distribution is being carried out through POS machines to maintain transparency.
Shahi also announced that the "Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh Seed Park" is being established, and the first installment of ₹50.84 crore has already been released with the aim of making the state self-reliant in seed production.
He said that the government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is continuously working to enhance farmers' income and strengthen the agriculture sector while ensuring the timely and transparent delivery of benefits.
Minister of State for Agriculture Baldev Singh Aulakh, Agriculture Director Pankaj Tripathi, and other officials were also present at the press conference.