Gujarat to begin procurement of chickpea and mustard at MSP

The Government of Gujarat will begin procurement of chickpea (chana) and mustard (rayda) at minimum support price (MSP) across the state from March 23, with preparations completed in advance.

Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said a total of 165 procurement centres for chickpea and 60 centres for mustard will be operational, based on farmer registrations, cultivation area and estimated output.

According to official data, over 2.59 lakh farmers have registered for chickpea procurement, while more than 37,000 farmers have registered for mustard. Authorities said procurement will be carried out from all registered farmers.

To streamline the process and avoid irregularities, Aadhaar-enabled biometric or face authentication has been introduced this year to verify farmers. In cases where farmers are unable to visit centres, authorised nominees will be allowed to complete the sale process.

Officials said farmers will be informed in advance through SMS about the date and time for bringing their produce to procurement centres to manage crowds and ensure smooth operations.

The move aims to ensure farmers receive assured prices for their produce while maintaining transparency in the procurement process.