Guwahati, 31 May: Assam Government has decided to establish procurement centres across the state to procure mustard seeds from cultivators and offer them a fixed minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 5,450 per quintal.
This was announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday. Chief Minister, while addressing a press conference at the Janata Bhawan in Guwahati said that mustard cultivators can sell their produce at 101 designated mustard procurement centres.
CM Sarma said, “After rice procurement, we have now taken another initiative for mustard procurement. I appeal all mustard cultivators to sell their produce at government’s procurement centres. The mustard that the government procures will be sold to NAFED. We will then give the bank account numbers of the farmers from whom we procured mustard to NAFED. Beneficiary farmers will receive the MSP of Rs 5,450 per quintal directly in their bank accounts within three working days of the sale of their stock.”
“This is a step to ensure the welfare of farmers of the state. The MSP is 1000 rupees more than the current price. We aim to procure 45 lakhs metric tonne mustard from this initiative,” the CM added.
Himanta Biswa Sarma added that the state’s dairy producers would soon be able to apply for government assistance. Dairy farmers will receive a subsidy of Rs 5 for every litre of milk they produce.