Assam govt to procure mustard seeds under price support scheme: Himanta

The Assam government will procure mustard seeds directly from the farmers at a higher rate under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Wednesday.

The government has enhanced the minimum support price for mustard seeds to Rs 5,450 per quintal as against the existing market rate of Rs 4500-Rs 4800 per quintal which will bring an additional income of Rs 250 crore to the farmers of the state, Sarma told reporters here.

There are currently two procurement centres -- Raha in Nagaon district and Amingaon in Kamrup -- but the state government has decided to also use the 92 existing paddy procurement centres along with the nine centres of agricultural marketing for the purpose, Sarma said.

The procurement will be done through the Assam State Agricultural Board and Assam Food and Civil Supplies Corporation as the state-level agencies and NAFED as the central agency, he said.

The procurement period will be from May 29 to August 26 and the bank details of the farmers will be shared with NAFED, and within three days of procurement the amounts will be credited to their accounts, he said.

"After procurement of paddy at support price, we have decided to extend it to the mustard farmers as this will boost the agriculture sector and also inspire them to go for a second cropping," he said.

The state government will next extend the enhanced support price scheme to the dairy farmers, Sarma added.