Date:12/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/12/stories/2005041201201000.htm

Back More centres to be opened for mustard purchase

Our Bureau

Mumbai , April 11

PURCHASES of rapeseed/mustard crop by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) as part of its oilseeds price support operation totalled over 5 lakh tonnes. Of this, procurement in Rajasthan alone accounted for as much as 3.55 lakh tonnes.

Following visit of a team of senior officers of Nafed jointly with State cooperative federations and district administration officials that went round the districts of Kota, Baran and Bundi where large-scale procurement was in progress, Nafed is likely to open additional purchase centres where arrivals are heavy so as to reduce the waiting time for farmers.

The number of weighing points also will be increased with the State Government agreeing to deploy additional manpower, Nafed's Senior Advisor, Mr S.C. Singhal, said in a communication to Business Line adding that the agency had dispatched sizeble stocks to terminal markets such as West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

In Rajasthan, the entire State machinery was monitoring the purchase operation so that the benefit of the scheme percolates to growers, Mr Singhal pointed out.