Bhopal, April 9 – Wheat procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will begin on Thursday in parts of Madhya Pradesh, while the opposition Congress will stage a statewide protest over the alleged delay in the procurement process this year.
Procurement will start in the Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal, and Narmadapuram divisions, while the remaining regions of Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar, and Shahdol are scheduled to begin from April 15.
The Centre has fixed the procurement rate at ₹2,585 per quintal for the current season, and the state government will provide a bonus of ₹40 per quintal. This means farmers will receive a total of ₹2,625 per quintal for their wheat crops.
Farmers visiting the procurement centers will be welcomed by officials, and the entire process will be monitored from the control room set up at the Chief Minister's Office.
"To honor the hard work of farmers in the Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal, and Narmadapuram divisions, wheat procurement at MSP begins today," Chief Minister Mohan Yadav wrote on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the Chief Minister had stated that procurement centers across the state have been equipped with improved facilities to ensure a hassle-free experience for farmers arriving to sell their produce.
To streamline operations, help desks are being set up at procurement centers, while control rooms have been established at the district level.
District administrations have been instructed to disseminate information through pamphlets and hoardings at procurement centers, ensuring that farmers are aware not only of procurement procedures but also of various welfare schemes available to them.
Basic amenities such as drinking water and shaded waiting areas are being arranged at procurement centers to ease the burden on farmers during peak procurement days.
However, the rollout has not been without controversy. The Congress and its Kisan wing have announced a statewide protest, accusing the government of delaying the commencement of procurement and causing inconvenience to farmers.
Congress leaders and workers have planned to gherao Collector offices across the state.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Jitu Patwari, and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Umang Singhar, will participate in the protest in Chhatarpur district.
The twin developments of the procurement rollout and political protests set the stage for a closely-watched wheat season in the agrarian state.