During the meeting, it was decided that the estimated wheat procurement for the upcoming marketing season 2024-25 would fall within the range of 300-320 lakh tonnes. Similarly, the estimated procurement of paddy for rice during the 2023-24 Rabi Crop was set between 90-100 LMT. Additionally, approximately 6.00 lakh tonnes of coarse grains and millets were estimated for procurement by states during the 2023-24 Rabi crop, with emphasis given to the procurement of millets for crop diversification and improved dietary nutrition.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare shared an evaluation study on the Digital Maturity of State MSP procurement applications. State Governments were urged to enhance their existing applications to align with the features of the AgriStack portal to enhance transparency and efficiency in the procurement system before the start of KMS 2024-25. These discussions are crucial given the demands raised by protesting farmers in Punjab, which include legal guarantees for MSPs, among other requests related to the Minimum Support Price system.
In negotiations with farmer leaders, a proposal was made by a panel of three Union Ministers to buy pulses, maize, and cotton at the MSP for five years. However, the farmer leaders rejected this proposal, citing that it was not beneficial to farmers.