Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday, 30 September approved procurement worth ₹5,547.99 crore at Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27, covering farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. The move is designed to shield pulse and oilseed growers from market price volatility and guarantee remunerative returns on their produce.

State-wise Breakdown of Approved Procurement

Uttar Pradesh receives the largest allocation — ₹3,992.57 crore — covering 4,66,000 metric tonnes of tur valued at ₹3,937.70 crore and 6,250 metric tonnes of moong valued at ₹54.87 crore, both to be procured at MSP.

In Karnataka, procurement worth ₹1,107 crore has been sanctioned under PSS. This covers 1,15,500 metric tonnes of soybean at ₹659.27 crore, 38,250 metric tonnes of moong at ₹335.83 crore, and 13,413 metric tonnes of sunflower at ₹111.90 crore.

Telangana has been allocated ₹448.42 crore, comprising 62,000 metric tonnes of soybean worth ₹353.90 crore and 10,766 metric tonnes of moong worth ₹94.52 crore.

What the Government Said

Minister Chouhan stated that the decision will provide greater economic security to farmers while simultaneously encouraging domestic production of pulses and oilseeds. He added that the procurement is part of India's broader push toward self-reliance in pulses and edible oils — a recurring policy priority for the Narendra Modi-led government.

Chouhan also assured that all procurement arrangements at designated centres will remain transparent, with payments credited directly to farmers' bank accounts in a timely manner — addressing a long-standing concern about delays in MSP disbursements.

Why This Matters for Farmers and Food Security

India remains a net importer of edible oils and has faced recurring pulse shortages that push retail prices higher. MSP-backed procurement under PSS acts as a price floor, discouraging distress sales when market prices dip below the support level. This is particularly significant for kharif crops like tur, moong, soybean, and sunflower, which are harvested and brought to market between October and December.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh's dominant share — accounting for nearly 72% of the total approved outlay — reflects both the state's scale of tur cultivation and its strategic importance ahead of state-level political cycles. Karnataka and Telangana, both significant oilseed-producing states, together account for the remaining 28%.

Transparency and Direct Benefit Transfer

The government's emphasis on direct bank transfers for MSP payments aligns with the broader Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) framework, which has been progressively extended across agricultural support schemes. Officials indicated that procurement centres will be operational across all three states to ensure accessibility for registered farmers.

What Happens Next

With the kharif harvest season approaching, procurement operations at designated mandis and collection centres are expected to commence in the coming weeks. Farmers in the three states will need to register with their respective state nodal agencies to participate in PSS procurement. The success of the scheme will ultimately depend on the efficiency of ground-level logistics and the speed of payment processing — areas where past PSS cycles have drawn criticism from farmer groups.