As per a survey conducted by the State Agriculture Department and the NAFED, prices of groundnut pods and sunflower seeds may rule below the minimum support price (MSP) declared by the Government during current Rabi season 2014-15.
So, the NAFED has decided to enter the market for undertaking a price support system (PSS) operation.The MARKFED is the State-level supporter of the NAFED, the Central agency for procurement operation under the PSS. As per an action plan prepared by the MARKFED, procurement of groundnut pods estimated at 28,300 MT will be undertaken in different locations and that of sunflower seeds of 500 MT at the PACS level in six districts, Puri, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Baleswar and Bhadrak.
The cost of commodities to be procured and incidentals thereof has been estimated at Rs 127.00 crore.Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Cooperation Department Bishnupada Sethi has stated that the farmers should not be in a hurry to dispose of their produces at lower than the minimum support price (MSP).