BENGALURU
Karnataka Minister for Sugarcane Development, Sugar, Textiles and Agricultural Marketing Shivanand Patil has directed officials to begin procurement of sunflower seeds for the 2025-26 rabi season under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme at Rs 7,721 per quintal.
The Minister instructed authorities to open procurement centres in 11 districts, including Bagalkot, Belagavi, Ballari, Vijayapura, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Vijayanagara, Raichur and Dharwad, in accordance with the Central Government’s MSP guidelines.
Officials said the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) have been appointed as the Centre’s procurement agencies, while the Karnataka Cooperative Oilseed Growers Federation will function as the state procurement agency.
The government has fixed the registration period for farmers at 50 days and the procurement period at 60 days. District Task Force Committees headed by Deputy Commissioners have been directed to begin registration and procurement activities immediately.
The minister advised officials to establish procurement centres in partnership with institutions having scientifically equipped warehouses and adequate storage facilities, particularly in rural areas, to benefit farmers. He also stressed the need to ensure smooth registration and procurement procedures without inconvenience to growers.
Patil warned officials against allowing traders or agencies to misuse procurement centres in the name of farmers. He instructed authorities to submit daily reports on procurement progress to the state government and the Karnataka State Agricultural Marketing Board.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Central Government had supported both sunflower and sugarcane growers in Karnataka through enhanced support measures.
He noted that the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently approved a Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Rs 365 per quintal for sugarcane for the 2026-27 season based on a 10.25 per cent recovery rate.
The Centre has also fixed a minimum support price of Rs 338.30 per quintal even when sugar recovery falls below 9.5 per cent. Officials said the revised FRP is expected to benefit nearly eight lakh farmers in Karnataka and crores of sugarcane growers across the country.
