Date: 2026-04-18Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan approves procurement of 20 lakh MT potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, relief for farmers from distressed prices
**Executive Summary**
On April 18, 2026, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare approved strategic procurement measures for three states to ensure remunerative prices and prevent distress sales. These actions include the procurement of 20 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, an increased chana procurement limit in Andhra Pradesh, and a deadline extension for tur procurement in Karnataka until May 15, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Potato Procurement in Uttar Pradesh**
* Approval granted for the procurement of 20 LMT of potatoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for the 2025-26 agricultural year.
* The predetermined Market Intervention Price is fixed at Rs. 6,500.9 per metric tonne.
* The Government of India has committed a financial contribution of Rs. 203.15 crore toward this initiative.
* The measure aims to equilibrate market dynamics and safeguard livelihoods against market fluctuations.
**Chana (Bengal Gram) Procurement in Andhra Pradesh**
* The procurement ceiling under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) has been raised for the Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26.
* The maximum allowable quota was increased from the initial 94,500 metric tonnes to a new limit of 1,13,250 metric tonnes.
* The revision is intended to lock in remunerative pricing and avert distress selling by cultivators.
**Tur (Pigeon Pea) Procurement in Karnataka**
* A 30-day extension has been granted for the ongoing procurement of tur at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
* Procurement activities under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif 2025-26 season will now continue until May 15, 2026.
* The extension provides additional flexibility for farmers to access fair compensation in local mandis.
**Impact Analysis**
**Potato Farmers in Uttar Pradesh**
**Impact**
Farmers are shielded from forced sales at suboptimal prices caused by volatile market fluctuations, ensuring they receive profitable returns on their investment.
**Action Required**
Utilize the state procurement channels to sell produce at the fixed rate of Rs. 6,500.9 per metric tonne for the 2025-26 season.
**Chana Cultivators in Andhra Pradesh**
**Impact**
Farmers benefit from an expanded procurement quota, allowing more produce to be sold under protected pricing mechanisms.
**Action Required**
Coordinate with procurement centers to utilize the enhanced limit of 1,13,250 metric tonnes during the Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26.
**Tur Farmers in Karnataka**
**Impact**
Producers gain much-needed time and flexibility to sell their harvests at the assured MSP rather than accepting undervalued transactions.
**Action Required**
Complete the sale of tur harvests through the Price Support Scheme before the revised deadline of May 15, 2026.
**State Governments (UP, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka)**
**Impact**
State administrations receive central financial and regulatory support to stabilize their respective agricultural marketplaces and rural economies.
**Action Required**
Collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to implement procurement operations and ensure the delivery of prompt interventions tailored to farmers' needs.
Key Entities Referenced
Market Intervention Scheme (MIS): The policy framework under which the procurement of 20 lakh MT of potatoes was approved for Uttar Pradesh to ensure remunerative prices for farmers.
Price Support Scheme (PSS): The central scheme used to raise chana procurement limits in Andhra Pradesh and extend the tur procurement timeframe in Karnataka.
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare who personally approved the strategic procurement extensions and price interventions.
Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka: The three states central to these decisions, involving potato, chana (Bengal gram), and tur (pigeon pea) procurement respectively.
Minimum Support Price (MSP): The guaranteed price mechanism used for the ongoing procurement of tur in Karnataka to prevent distress sales.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan approves procurement of 20 lakh MT
potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, relief for farmers from
distressed prices
Approval by Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh extends chana
procurement limit to 1,13,250 metric tons in Andhra Pradesh
and tur procurement till May 15, 2026, in Karnataka
Major relief for farmers: Beneficial prices for farmers in three
states through Central Government’s decisions
Posted On: 18 APR 2026 4:04PM by PIB Delhi
In a landmark decision offering substantial relief to farmers and prioritising their economic well-being, the
Government of India has formally approved the procurement of potatoes in the state of Uttar Pradesh,
alongside chana procurement operations in Andhra Pradesh, and an important extension of the tur (pigeon
pea) procurement timeframe in Karnataka. These strategic approvals, personally greenlit by Union
Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan are
designed to guarantee that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their hard-earned produce.
They effectively shield producers from the hardships of distress sales in volatile markets and contribute to
overall stability and predictability in the agricultural marketplace, fostering a more secure environment for
cultivation and trade.Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reaffirmed that, under the dynamic leadership and
visionary guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Central Government remains steadfastly
committed to protecting and advancing the interests of every farmer across the nation. He elaborated that a
core objective of the administration is to ensure that no farmer is compelled to offload their crops at
undervalued rates due to market pressures or any unforeseen circumstances. Shri Chouhan highlighted the
ministry's proactive approach, emphasising continuous and close coordination with state governments to
deliver prompt, empathetic, and highly effective interventions tailored to farmers’ needs. In line with this,
the approvals were issued today following a productive virtual meeting convened by Shri Shivraj Singh
with the agriculture ministers and senior officials from the concerned states, underscoring the
government’s responsive mechanism.
Uttar Pradesh: Greenlight for 20 LMT potato procurementThe Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has accorded full approval to the Uttar Pradesh
government’s detailed proposal for procuring potatoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS)
specifically for the 2025-26 agricultural year. Pursuant to this sanction, a substantial volume of 20 LMT
— or 20 lakh metric tonnes — of potatoes will be purchased across the state at a predetermined Market
Intervention Price fixed at Rs. 6,500.9 per metric tonne. The Government of India’s projected financial
contribution towards this initiative stands at Rs. 203.15 crore, reflecting strong central support. This
timely measure will empower potato-growing farmers in Uttar Pradesh by securing them profitable returns
on their investment and produce, while preventing forced sales at suboptimal prices amid market
fluctuations. It represents a vital intervention to equilibrate the potato market dynamics within the state
and robustly safeguard the livelihoods and economic interests of all potato producers involved.
Andhra Pradesh: Chana procurement ceiling raised to 1,13,250 metric tonnes
In a farmer-friendly move, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Chouhan has endorsed the Andhra Pradesh
government’s request under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), initially approving the procurement of
94,500 metric tonnes of chana, also known as Bengal gram. Building on this, and in direct response to the
state government’s further appeal, Shri Shivraj Singh has elevated the maximum allowable procurement
quota for Bengal gram under PSS during the Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26 to an enhanced limit of
1,13,250 metric tonnes. This upward revision promises significant relief to chana cultivators in Andhra
Pradesh, locking in remunerative pricing mechanisms and averting scenarios of distress selling that could
otherwise erode their earnings.
Karnataka: Tur procurement window extended to May 15, 2026
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has graciously approved a 30-day extension for
the ongoing procurement of tur (pigeon pea), commonly referred to as arhar, at the Minimum Support
Price (MSP) through the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif 2025-26 season in Karnataka. With
this extension, procurement activities will now persist right up to May 15, 2026, granting producers much-
needed additional flexibility. Karnataka’s tur farmers stand to gain immensely, as this prolonged window
allows more of them to sell their harvests at the assured MSP, thereby accessing fair compensation and
steering clear of undervalued distress transactions in local mandis.
These decisions unequivocally illustrate the central government’s unwavering proactivity — under Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s stewardship — in upholding farmers’ rights, facilitating superior pricing
for key agricultural commodities, and fortifying the foundational pillars of the rural economy. Through
seamless collaboration with state administrations, such measures not only instill greater confidence among
stakeholders but also enhance stability, predictability, and a sense of security throughout the agricultural
domain, paving the way for sustained growth and prosperity.
क द्र सरकार न े कसान के हत म एक महत्वपूण और राहतभरा नणय लेते हुए उत्तर प्रदश म आल ू क
खरीद, आंध्र प्रदश म चना खरीद तथा कनाटक म तूर (अरहर) खरीद अवध वार को मंजूरी दी ह। pic.
twitter.com/4lg4H2pt0p
— PIB Agriculture (@PIBAgriculture) April 18, 2026
क द्रीय कृ ष एवं कसान काण व ामीण वकास मंी ी शवराज सह चौहान क अध्यक्षता म हुई
बैठक म लया गया ये फै सला। pic.twitter.com/HhySmxwWSm
— PIB Agriculture (@PIBAgriculture) April 18, 2026******
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