agriculture-ministry-revises-mis-guidelines-to-aid-farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture has revised the guidelines for the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to encourage more states to implement it. The procurement limit for crops has been raised from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, aiming to provide better financial security to farmers facing price fluctuations.

 

MIS is a part of the PM-AASHA scheme and is designed to support farmers who cultivate perishable crops such as tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, which do not fall under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) framework.

 

The scheme is activated when there is a minimum price decline of 10 per cent compared to the rates of the previous normal season. The revised guidelines aim to ensure that farmers do not have to sell their produce at distress prices.

 

The changes also include an option for states to transfer the difference between the market intervention price (MIP) and the selling price directly into farmers' bank accounts instead of opting for physical procurement.

 

Another key change involves financial support for transporting perishable crops from producing states to consuming states.

 

When there is a significant price difference for tomato, onion, and potato (TOP) crops between these states, the operational costs incurred in storage and transportation will be reimbursed by Central Nodal Agencies (CNA) such as the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF).

 

This step is aimed at reducing farmer losses and ensuring a fair price for their produce.

 

Approval has been granted to the NCCF for reimbursing transportation costs for up to 1,000 tonnes of kharif tomatoes from Madhya Pradesh to Delhi. This is expected to help farmers get better prices for their produce while ensuring a stable supply in the market.

 

Additionally, apart from NAFED and NCCF, other organisations such as Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), and state-nominated agencies are being considered for inclusion under the MIS framework.

 

This move is expected to expand the reach of the scheme and improve its implementation across various regions.