Mumbai: A technical issue in the money transfer system of the Maharashtra state marketing department has caused delays in payments to tur farmers. While many farmers received messages saying their money was sent, it hasn’t yet shown up in their bank accounts, according to an official from the department.
The official, who wished to remain unnamed, stated, “We will fix this problem soon, and farmers will get their money for the tur they sold. Sometimes, delays happen at the end of the financial year due to the high number of transactions.”
The state government is buying tur at ₹7,550 per quintal, which is more than what farmers can get in the market. This has encouraged many farmers to sell their tur to government centers, leading to an increase in registrations. The high number of farmers wanting to sell at government prices has put pressure on the system.
Data shows that about 6.5 lakh quintals of tur have already been bought from Maharashtra. Approximately 92,805 farmers registered to sell their tur to NAFED alone, but only about 30,000 have had their tur bought. Similar gaps exist with other agencies in the state.
Farmers are worried about the payment delays. Nimbaji Lakhade, a farmer from Buldhana district, shared, “I sold tur on March 9 and 24 and completed the paperwork. But I still haven’t received any payment.” He mentioned that many farmers depend on this money for important needs like weddings or farm care, and waiting for payment has caused them a lot of stress.
Officials said that many farmers asked for an extension on the current procurement deadline of April 30. Selling to government agencies is more profitable than selling in the open market.
On a national level, the government plans to buy 13.22 lakh tonnes of tur from nine states, including Maharashtra. They also aim to build a stockpile of 10 lakh tonnes to control prices. Government reports show that the area where tur is grown has grown by 14% this year, with production expected to be around 35 lakh tonnes.
During the launch of a tur dal procurement portal in January 2024, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah stated that India should stop importing pulses by December 2027. “From January 2028, we won’t import any pulses,” he declared.
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