UP clears maize MSP procurement policy

Lucknow: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the policy for procurement of maize under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme for the Kharif marketing season 2025-26. The MSP for maize has been fixed at Rs 2,400 per quintal.Briefing reporters, cabinet minister Suresh Khanna said that the state govt will procure maize from farmers between June 15 and July 31. Procurement operations will be carried out in 24 districts, including Firozabad, Agra, Mainpuri, Aligarh, Kasganj, Hathras, Etah, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Kanpur Nagar, Auraiya, Etawah, Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Unnao, Bahraich, Ballia, Gonda, Fatehpur and Mirzapur.He said that procurement centres will be established primarily in areas where maize production is high and where there is a strong possibility of procurement. Govt has decided to open 150 procurement centres across the state for the purpose. For the 2025-26 Kharif marketing season, the state has set a procurement target of 25,000 metric tonnes of maize.According to Khanna, farmers will be required to provide a computerised revenue record (Khatauni), a photo identity proof and an Aadhaar card while selling maize at procurement centres. At the same time, verification of land records and the sown area of the crop will be conducted online through linkage with the revenue department’s records.He said that govt has assured timely payment to farmers. The purchase amount will be transferred directly to farmers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through the Govt of India’s Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal within 48 hours of procurement. The move is seen as aimed at ensuring remunerative prices for maize growers and strengthening the state’s procurement mechanism for coarse grains.