Bengaluru, 30 September

The Centre has approved procurement in Karnataka of 13,413 tonnes of sunflower, 38,250 tonnes of green gram and 1,15,500 tonnes of soybean under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the 2026-27 kharif season, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday.

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare approved the three proposals in letters dated 29 September, following requests from the state government. Its communications were dated 11 August for sunflower and green gram, and 17 August for soybean.

“These approvals will provide important support to farmers through MSP procurement,” Kumaraswamy said in a post on X, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Procurement will run for 90 days from a start date set by the state. Agencies must confirm scientific storage capacity and limit purchases accordingly. Registered farmers’ Aadhaar-based biometric or face authentication is required.

The state must provide a revolving fund of at least 15 per cent of procurement costs, pay farmers directly within three days, exempt PSS operations from mandi taxes or cess, support direct procurement centres and capture SC/ST beneficiary data for PM-AASHA funds.