In a significant move to strengthen India’s pulses economy and ensure assured procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP), Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted an extensive review of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) at his residence in New Delhi. The high-level meeting placed NAFED at the core of the government’s proposed six-year ‘Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission’, underscoring its pivotal role in procurement, price stabilisation and farmer outreach.
The review focused on NAFED’s ongoing procurement operations under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), with particular emphasis on ensuring that farmers receive the full benefit of MSP without delays or procedural hurdles. The Minister directed that MSP procurement mechanisms be made more robust, transparent and time-bound, calling for reforms that would enhance farmer trust in government-backed purchase systems.
At the centre of discussions was NAFED’s preparedness to handle large-scale procurement of key pulses such as tur (arhar), urad and masoor. These crops are critical to India’s nutritional security and reducing dependence on imports. The proposed ‘Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission’ aims to increase domestic production, stabilise market prices and guarantee assured procurement at MSP, with NAFED expected to anchor operational execution.
The Minister reviewed the status of ongoing purchases, assessed field-level bottlenecks and sought detailed feedback from senior officials, including NAFED Managing Director Deepak Agrawal. He emphasised that procurement centres must be adequately equipped, professionally managed and farmer-friendly. Infrastructure gaps, delayed payments or lack of clarity on procurement schedules, he warned, could undermine the credibility of MSP operations.
NAFED’s dual responsibility—procuring pulses at MSP and intervening in the market to stabilise prices—was highlighted as crucial for protecting both farmers and consumers. Effective procurement and storage, the Minister noted, are essential to prevent distress sales during peak arrivals and to check price volatility in lean seasons. He instructed that procurement planning be closely aligned with production estimates so that NAFED can intervene proactively rather than reactively.
The proposed pulses mission also envisages strengthening agronomic practices, ensuring the supply of quality seeds and providing technical support to farmers. However, these production-side measures will yield results only if backed by reliable and assured procurement. In this context, NAFED’s capacity to scale operations efficiently and transparently assumes greater importance.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to freeing farmers from dependence on middlemen by strengthening direct linkages with official procurement channels. He called for closer coordination between NAFED, the Ministry and state governments to ensure uniform implementation of procurement operations across regions. Improved storage and warehousing infrastructure was also stressed to guarantee safe handling of pulses procured at MSP.
With India seeking to become self-reliant in pulses production, NAFED’s performance in the coming seasons will be closely watched. The review meeting signalled a clear message: procurement is not merely a support activity but a strategic instrument of agricultural policy. By enhancing efficiency, accountability and transparency in MSP-based operations, NAFED is expected to play a defining role in achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat goals in the pulses sector.
Senior ministry officials, including Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and Additional Secretaries Pramod Kumar Mehrada and Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, attended the meeting and briefed the Minister on procurement progress and corrective measures underway. The deliberations reaffirmed that a strong, responsive and well-coordinated NAFED will be central to delivering assured prices to farmers while safeguarding national food security.
