Speed up procurement of sunflower crop in Haryana: Govt

Chandigarh: With Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announcing relief to the sunflower farmers by giving interim procurement price by Rs 1,000 per quintal under Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, a spike in procurement of sunflower crop was witnessed at the Shahbad grain market in Kurukshetra district, the government said on Sunday.

Kurukshetra district has the highest production of sunflower and its main procurement centre is Shahbad. Besides, the sunflower purchase centres have been set up at places of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, and Panchkula districts.

Hafed has started procurement of sunflower crops for the first time and has announced to remain in the market till the procurement process is completed in the mandis.

The government has decided to ensure procurement through Hafed so that the farmers can get a fair price for their crop, said the statement.

The government procurement of sunflower has been made successful over the past five years. When sunflower arrived in mandis in 2017, the Chief Minister said the government purchased 20 per cent of the overall crop.

By the next year, that percentage had climbed to 50 per cent, and by the following year, it had reached 100 per cent.

Hafed has procured sunflower at the rate of Rs 4,850 per quintal in Shahbad on Saturday. With the Chief Minister’s giving interim relief of Rs 1,000 per quintal under the Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, now the purchase of sunflower in Haryana has raised to Rs 5,800 per quintal.

While the market price is much less than this, at present sunflower is being purchased in Punjab between Rs 3,800 and Rs 4,200.