Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has decided to start the procurement of groundnut for 2018-19 season at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from November 15 across 122 centers across the state. Online registration for the same will start from 1st of November and continue for a month.

Addressing a joint press conference Agriculture Minister R C Faldu and Food and Civil Supply Minister Jayesh Radadiya informed this today.

Support price for per quintal ground nut will be Rs 4,890. When added Rs 115 per quintal bonus by State government, it will be Rs 5,000.

Faldu said that this time due to scanty rain the season for groundnut was to start somewhat early. ‘In comparison to the last year’s production of 30 to 32 lakh tonnes this time it is expected to remain only 18 to 20 lakh tonnes,’ he said.

He said that CM Vijay Rupani and DyCM Nitin Patel held a meeting to discuss the nitty-gritty of the procurement process and make it foolproof. ‘We have decided to keep it completely transparent and it would be done under CCTV camera and video cameras,’ he said.

To a query about the scam in procurement involving go-downs, Faldu also said that the procured groundnut would be kept in the closest completely packed go-down with all the facilities including CCTV, round the clock security. He said Ware Housing Corporation officials were part of the meetings held to plan procurement.

Radadiya said that the MSP for groundnut has been Rs 5000 per 100 kg ie Rs 1000 a mun or per 20 kg.

‘The Food and Civil Supply Corporation has been the state level agency for the procurement for which NAFED is the center level agency,’ he informed adding that the online registration process for sale of groundnut under MSP would start from November 1.

He said that the procurement process would start from November 15 the day after Labh Pancham.

Faldu said as per the Government of India’s provision, 25% of produce can be purchased at support price. He said export of ground nut is going to be high this year and lot of ground nut will be purchased by them.

DeshGujarat