Nashik: District collector Ayush Prasad has directed the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) to begin procurement of onions at guaranteed prices across all market committees in the district from Monday, June 8. This initiative aims to support farmers and stabilise prices.
Coordination Meeting Directives
The directive was issued during a coordination committee meeting at the district collectorate to streamline procurement operations and address immediate challenges faced by farmers. Cooperative societies and farmer producer organisations have been instructed to obtain temporary purchase licences from respective APMCs before the rollout to avoid delays.
Collector Prasad stated, “The meeting was convened to implement the crucial decisions taken during a high-level review chaired by Union minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The administrative session saw widespread participation from ministers, MPs, and MLAs, alongside officials from 39 government and private agencies directly involved in onion procurement.”
He added that temporary licences would be issued immediately to enable the smooth commencement of direct procurement from farmers.
Procurement Targets and Operations
Officials said Nafed and NCCF must set up procurement centres in every market committee yard to handle the large volume of rabi onion arrivals. Nafed has also been tasked with bearing expenses related to labour and transportation of procured onions to designated warehouses.
The agencies have been instructed to ensure efficient operations and avoid inconvenience to farmers while working towards achieving the district’s procurement target of 2 lakh tonnes at government-approved rates by June 30. Officials noted that so far, only 15.5 quintals of onions have been procured.
High-Level Attendance
The meeting was attended via video conferencing by food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal, school education minister Dada Bhuse, and FDA minister Narhari Zirwal, along with MPs Bhaskar Bhagre and Shobha Bachhav, and MLAs Suhas Kande, Dilip Borse, and Saroj Ahire.
Publicity and Licensing
Nafed has also directed extensive publicity of procurement centres under the price stabilisation fund (PSF) scheme to ensure farmer participation. Additionally, primary agricultural credit societies and farmer organisations have been asked to secure licences from APMCs on priority and complete all administrative formalities to facilitate a smooth and timely procurement drive.
