Rajasthan farmers sell moong below MSP as Govt yet to decide MSP purchase

Rajasthan, the leading producer of moong, the Kharif season's green gram, has received approximately 63,000 tonnes of the crop since September 1, marking a significant increase of ten times compared to the same period last year. However, farmers have only managed to earn an average of ₹7,452 per quintal, which is 15% less than the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹8,780 per quintal.

The government recently increased the MSP for moong by a meager 0.1%, the lowest among all Kharif crops for the 2026-27 season. In response, farmers are contemplating an awareness campaign, similar to that for mustard, to increase their realisation. They may also consider reducing their cultivated area in the next season if necessary.

According to data from the Agmarknet portal, the average price of moong at Rajasthan's various mandis (agriculture market yards) started at ₹7,000 per quintal and rose to ₹7,960 per quintal by September 17. While some experts view the current price as reasonable given the high crop arrival, the state's President of Kisan Mahapanchayat, Rampal Jat, expresses disappointment, stating that the MSP hike for this year is only ₹12 per quintal.

Jat criticizes the procurement scheme, arguing that it should be as automatic as the Food Corporation of India's (FCI) procurement of wheat and paddy. He suggests that the central government should either purchase the crop directly through its agencies, Nafed and NCCF, or grant states the autonomy to decide on the procurement date and quantity.

Jat also urges farmers to consider shifting to alternative crops that may yield better returns if the area under moong is reduced. The state government had set the targeted moong area at 26.50 lakh hectares for the current Kharif season, up from 26.57 lakh hectares in 2025. However, the actual sowing area came in 13% below the target, at 23.17 lakh hectares.

Another local variety of moong, moth, also fell short of its 10 lakh hectare target, with actual acreage at 9.12 lakh hectares, slightly higher than the 8.59 lakh hectares cultivated in 2025. Rajasthan's overall moong production in the Kharif season of 2025 was 13.89 lakh tonnes, accounting for 72% of the national production. Jat notes that farmers are facing losses ranging from ₹1,280 to ₹3,200 per quintal, which could have been avoided if the MSP procurement had begun earlier.

He points out that for several years, farmers have been requesting both state and central governments to advance moong procurement from September 1, but their appeals have been repeatedly ignored. Cooperative agency Nafed is selling stored moong from previous years at ₹6,500 per quintal, further depressing current market rates below the MSP level.