**Executive Summary**
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved Minimum Support Price (MSP) support exceeding ₹4,886 crore for sunflower and gram procurement to prevent distress sales. The decision includes procuring 9,023 metric tonnes of sunflower in Karnataka for the Rabi 2026 season and increasing the gram procurement limit in Maharashtra to 8,19,882 metric tonnes for the Rabi 2025-26 season. Additionally, the procurement deadline for gram in Maharashtra has been extended by 30 days to May 29, 2026, to ensure farmers receive remunerative prices.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Sunflower Procurement in Karnataka**
* Sanctioned the procurement of 9,023 metric tonnes of sunflower under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Rabi 2026 season.
* The total MSP value for this approval is estimated at more than ₹69.66 crore.
* The initiative aims to protect farmers from selling produce at lower prices due to unfavorable market conditions.
**Gram Procurement in Maharashtra**
* Increased the maximum procurement limit for gram to 8,19,882 metric tonnes for the Rabi 2025–26 season.
* The total MSP value of this decision exceeds ₹4,816.80 crore.
* Extended the procurement period by 30 days, establishing a new deadline of May 29, 2026.
* The extension is intended to allow farmers who missed earlier deadlines to avail of MSP benefits.
**Strategic Goals and Farmer Welfare**
* Focuses on creating a secure, predictable, and transparent procurement environment for agricultural producers.
* Aims to provide direct financial relief and reinforce farmer confidence in the government’s procurement system.
* Strengthens the agricultural economy by ensuring price assurance and reducing vulnerability to market fluctuations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Sunflower Farmers in Karnataka**
**Impact**
Farmers are protected from distress sales and are guaranteed fair, remunerative prices for their produce through the Price Support Scheme.
**Action Required**
Eligible farmers should prepare to sell their sunflower produce through designated procurement centers during the Rabi 2026 season.
**Gram Producers in Maharashtra**
**Impact**
A larger number of producers can now benefit from the MSP system due to the significantly increased procurement limit and the extended timeframe.
**Action Required**
Farmers must ensure they sell their produce within the newly extended deadline of May 29, 2026.
**State Governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra**
**Impact**
The central government has approved state-specific proposals, necessitating the logistical coordination of large-scale procurement operations.
**Action Required**
The respective state departments must manage the expanded procurement process, ensure transparency, and facilitate timely purchases from farmers.
Key Entities Referenced
Price Support Scheme (PSS): The central scheme under which the procurement of sunflower and gram was sanctioned to ensure remunerative prices and prevent distress sales.
Minimum Support Price (MSP): The guaranteed price mechanism providing financial support worth over ₹4,886 crore to farmers for the procurement of agricultural produce.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for approving the procurement limits, timelines, and financial support for sunflower and gram producers.
Karnataka and Maharashtra: The specific states where the procurement approvals for sunflower and gram are applicable for the Rabi 2025-26 and 2026 seasons.
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan: The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare who sanctioned the procurement proposals and extended the procurement timelines.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan takes decisive step in farmers’ interest;
MSP support of over ₹4,886 crore
Approval for procurement of 9,023 metric tonnes of sunflower
in Karnataka granted by Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan
Major decision for gram producers in Maharashtra;
procurement limit increased to 8.19 lakh metric tonnes
Centre committed to ensuring remunerative prices; farmers to
be protected from distress sale: Shri Chouhan
Posted On: 05 MAY 2026 6:16PM by PIB Delhi
The Union Government has taken yet another key decision in a significant move to ensure remunerative
prices for farmers and prevent distress sale of agricultural produce, as Union Minister for Agriculture and
Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan approved the procurement of
9,023 metric tonnes of sunflower at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Karnataka for the Rabi 2026
season. Additionally, the government has increased the maximum procurement limit of gram in
Maharashtra for the Rabi 2025-26 season to 8,19,882 metric tonnes. Together, these decisions will provide
MSP support worth more than ₹4,886.46 crore to farmers.
Sunflower procurement approved in Karnataka
Approving a proposal from the Karnataka government, Shri Chouhan sanctioned the procurement of 9,023
metric tonnes of sunflower under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Rabi 2026 season. The total
MSP value of this approval exceeds ₹69.66 crore. The decision is expected to ensure that sunflower
farmers in Karnataka receive fair and remunerative prices for their produce.
The move is particularly significant for farmers who often face the compulsion to sell their produce at
lower prices due to unfavourable market conditions. With MSP procurement now approved, farmers will
be better protected from distress sales. The decision is also expected to strengthen farmers’ confidence and
contribute to greater stability in the agricultural sector.
Procurement limit for gram increased in Maharashtra
In another major decision, the Union Minister approved a proposal from the Maharashtra government to
increase the maximum procurement quantity of gram under the PSS to 8,19,882 metric tonnes for the Rabi
2025–26 season. The total MSP value of this decision exceeds ₹4,816.80 crore.The government has also extended the procurement period for gram in Maharashtra by 30 days, allowing
purchases to continue until May 29, 2026. This extension is expected to benefit farmers who were unable
to sell their produce within the earlier deadline. It will enable a larger number of farmers to avail MSP
benefits and avoid selling their produce at lower prices due to market pressure.
Relief from distress sales, boost to farmer confidence
The decisions taken by the Centre are aimed at protecting farmers from distress sales and ensuring that
they receive fair value for their produce. By expanding procurement operations and extending timelines,
the government seeks to create a more secure and predictable environment for agricultural producers.
Such measures are expected to not only provide direct financial relief to farmers but also reinforce their
confidence in the procurement system. The increased procurement limits and timelines will help ensure
that farmers are not forced into disadvantageous market transactions.
Government reiterates commitment to farmer welfare
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the leadership of Union Minister Shri
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has been working to make
agricultural procurement more effective, transparent and farmer-centric. The approvals for sunflower
procurement in Karnataka and gram procurement in Maharashtra underscore the government’s continued
focus on safeguarding farmers’ economic interests. These steps are aimed at strengthening the agricultural
economy by ensuring price assurance and reducing vulnerability to market fluctuations. The Central
Government has maintained that ensuring remunerative prices for farmers remains a key priority. By
expanding MSP operations and providing timely support, it aims to enhance income stability for farmers
and promote long-term sustainability in the agricultural sector. These decisions are expected to not only
benefit farmers in Karnataka and Maharashtra directly but also contribute to a broader sense of trust and
stability in the agricultural ecosystem.
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