The Central Government has taken a significant decision in the interest of tur (pigeon pea) farmers in Maharashtra by approving the procurement of 3.37 lakh metric tonnes of tur in the state. Maharashtra Minister for Marketing Jaykumar Rawal shared this information.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting between Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister Jaykumar Rawal. The move is expected to provide direct benefits to lakhs of tur-producing farmers across Maharashtra.
According to the decision, tur will be procured from farmers during the 2025–26 marketing season at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 8,000 per quintal. The registration process for farmers began on 20 January 2026 and will remain open until 20 February 2026, the minister said.
The procurement will be carried out through central agencies NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India), in coordination with the Maharashtra state government. To ensure smooth implementation, 934 procurement centres have been made operational across the state.
Minister Rawal stated that clear instructions have been issued to ensure the procurement process is transparent, fast, and farmer-friendly, so that farmers do not face any inconvenience. He further added that, if required, a proposal would be sent to the Central Government for 100 per cent procurement of tur produced in the state.
To streamline farmer participation and widen outreach, NAFED and NCCF have in recent years strengthened digital platforms that facilitate online registration, procurement and direct payment under MSP operations.
A key initiative is the Aadhaar-enabled e-Samridhi portal, jointly launched by the two agencies, which allows farmers to register in advance for MSP procurement of tur and other pulses. The platform supports end-to-end digital procurement, from farmer registration to direct transfer of payments into bank accounts, ensuring transparency and timely settlement while reducing the role of intermediaries. Farmers can register either individually or through cooperative societies and Farmer Producer Organisations.
In addition, NCCF operates an integrated digital system that enables real-time tracking of procurement activities, offering complete visibility from registration to payment and helping ensure faster and more efficient transactions.
These digital systems have already enabled participation by millions of farmers nationwide in MSP procurement of pulses and maize, significantly cutting delays and paperwork.
NAFED is also in the process of rolling out an e-auction portal, Nafex.in, aimed at digitising the sale of procured commodities. The platform is expected to provide a transparent marketplace for buyers and improve price discovery.
Collectively, these initiatives are intended to ensure fair returns for tur farmers during the 2025–26 season while strengthening digital inclusion and India’s agricultural marketing ecosystem.
