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NAFED to buy 5 lakh t kharif oilseeds

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Sept. 17

THE National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) expects to procure five lakh tonnes of oilseeds under the Centre's Price Support Scheme (PSS) during the coming kharif marketing season.

The five lakh tonne figure projection was arrived at an Inter-State Conference of State Cooperative Marketing/Oilseeds Growers Federation here last week, chaired by the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Mr J.N.L Srivastava.

During 2000-01 (April-March), NAFED undertook procurement of oilseeds worth Rs 1,200 crore, which included 2,32,293 tonnes of milling copra (valued at Rs 778.18 crore), 2,45,056 tonnes of mustard seed (Rs 296.52 crore), 54,745 tonnes of soyabean (Rs 52.0 1 crore), 28,989 tonnes of groundnut (Rs 40 crore), 19,487 tonnes of sunflower seed (Rs 25.72 crore) and 6,582 tonnes of safflower seed (Rs 7.96 crore). During April-July, this year, it also purchased 3.30 lakh tonnes of mustard seed worth Rs 435 crore a nd 3,000 tonnes of safflower seed valued at Rs 3.96 crore.

Earlier in 1999-2000, the cooperative procured a record 501,000 lakh tonnes of soyabean valued at Rs 455.29 crore, apart from 48,021 tonnes of groundnut (Rs 60.59 crore).

In his presentation, the Managing Director of NAFED, Mr Priyadarshi Thakur, underlined the need to purchase only oilseed stocks confirming to fair average quality (FAQ) specifications laid down by the Centre. He also called for timely releases of funds f rom the Centre to ensure smooth purchases.