Bhopal, April 3 (NationPress) Madhya Pradesh's Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection, Govind Singh Rajput, revealed that an unprecedented 19 lakh 4 thousand farmers have registered this year for procurement at the minimum support price (MSP), marking an increase of 3 lakh 60 thousand compared to last year.

The area covered by registrations has also surged, reaching 41.58 lakh hectares, which is 6.65 lakh hectares more than the previous year.

During a press conference, Minister Rajput stated that all requisite arrangements for procurement at the support price are being executed promptly.

“The Madhya Pradesh administration is dedicated to the welfare of farmers and aims to maximize their benefits,” he emphasized.

This year, the government is offering an MSP of ₹2,585 per quintal for wheat, along with an additional ₹40 per quintal discount, ensuring farmers receive the most competitive price for their crops.

Rajput announced that the procurement process will commence in phases to prevent any delays for farmers. Procurement is scheduled to start on April 10, 2026, in the Dewas, Mandsaur, Bhopal, and Narmadapuram divisions, and on April 15, 2026, in the remaining divisions.

He further mentioned that the revenue department is swiftly verifying the registered land records of farmers. Upon completion of verification, the scale-to-stock process will initiate, allowing farmers to deliver their produce seamlessly.

The government has set a procurement target of 78 lakh tonnes of wheat this year, up from nearly 77 lakh tonnes procured at MSP last year.

Regarding the gunny bag (bardana) situation, Rajput clarified that the Central Government has supplied an extra 50,000 jute bags for Madhya Pradesh. Arrangements for HDPE/PP bags and single-use bags have also been established.

He assured that ample bardana (sacks) will be available prior to the procurement commencement.

The minister also noted that in godowns with limited storage capacity, a collaborative scheme has been proposed to enhance capacity up to 120 percent. Additionally, as per Central government directives, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana will be implemented concurrently from March-April to May-June 2026, which will free up more than 10 lakh tonnes of additional storage space.

He underscored that Madhya Pradesh boasts the highest covered storage capacity in India at approximately 400 lakh tonnes, of which 103 lakh tonnes is currently unoccupied—more than enough for this year’s procurement goals.

Rajput assured that despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia affecting global supply chains, coordination between the Centre and state government has ensured a steady supply of petrol, diesel, and other essential goods, with no reported shortages within the state.

Meanwhile, Congress state president Jitu Patwari criticized the government for allegedly using the ongoing conflict as a pretext to delay wheat procurement.

He noted that while 100 million gunny bags were needed for 2026, the state government had only ordered 26 million, resulting in a significant shortfall of around 75 million.

Patwari clarified that under the Jute Act, the state government must submit its requirements and make an advance payment to the Centre promptly. However, the government's failure to do so has led to the critical shortage of jute gunny bags.

“This shortage is not caused by war or any external factor, but is a direct outcome of the government’s negligence,” Patwari stated, asserting that the crisis is “manufactured by the government.”

He further emphasized that India ranks as the world’s second-largest jute producer after Bangladesh, indicating that any shortage due to war would primarily impact plastic (PP) bags, not jute sacks.

Due to the repeated postponement of procurement dates—from March 16 to April 1, then to April 10, and possibly beyond—farmers were compelled to sell their produce to traders at distress prices, leading to nearly 50 percent of them defaulting on their loans.