Centre approves purchase of 1.01 lakh tonnes of chana at MSP in Karnataka
Agriculture MInister Shivraj Singh Chauhan addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday
The Agriculture Ministry has approved procurement of 1.013 lakh tonnes of chana (bengal gram) at minimum support price (MSP) for the rabi marketing season 2026-27 in Karnataka.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan told reporters that his ministry has approved the purchase of 1.13 lakh tonnes valued at ₹595.37 crore in Karnataka.
The Centre has announced MSP of ₹5875 for chana for the Rabi 2026-27 marketing season.
Chouhan told the State Government to procure fully the approved quantity of bengal gram to support the farmers. Coming down heavily on the Congress led government in the State, Chauhan said the state did not procure fully the approved quantity of tur (red gram) during 2024-25 season and recently the totapuri mangoes during 2025-26 marketing season.
Against the approved quantity of 3 lakh tonnes for purchase at MSP during 2024-25 season, Karnataka procured only 2.16 lakh tonnes. Similarly, the state did not procure fully the approved quantity of 2.5 lakh tonnes of totapuri mangoes during the 2025-26 marketing season under the market intervention scheme during the price crash. The state had procured only 1.37 lakh tonnes of mangoes, he said.
Further, the agriculture minister said the Congress was spreading lies about the VB G RAM G (Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin) scheme. Last month, the Centre has introduced VB-G RAM G that to replace the MNREGA. VB GRAM G aims to transform rural employment by guaranteeing 125 days of work against the previous scheme’s 100 days, linking it to productive asset creation. Four types of assets relating to water conservation, infra related to farm sector such as creation of farm ponds, check dams and also work related to schools, roads and drainages will be taken up, he said.
Meanwhile, the acreages under Bengal gram during the ongoing rabi sowing season has increased by 5 per cent to 95.87 lakh ha as on January 16 as compared to 91.22 lakh ha in the same period last year. The area increase under gram has been led by states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka among others, while Maharashtra has seen a decline.
Gram area is up in Rajasthan at 20.58 lakh ha (16.55 lakh ha in last year), Madhya Pradesh at 15.54 lakh ha (13.54 lakh ha) and Karnataka at 9.50 lakh ha (6.79 lakh ha). However, teh area has decreased in Maharashtra to 25.36 lakh ha (28.73 lakh ha).
Published on January 22, 2026
