Despite Tall Claims, Assam Govt Fails to Support Mustard Farmers Under MSP

Thousands of mustard farmers across Assam have once again been let down by the state’s procurement machinery, with many calling it a betrayal of repeated promises. Despite public assurances and colourful newspaper advertisements from the Chief Minister himself, the state government failed to procure even 10 % of the targeted mustard crop under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme this year.

The Centre had initially set a target of buying over 62,000 metric tonnes of mustard from Assam, with a minimum commitment of 39,500 metric tonnes to be collected by three state-run agencies. But official sources confirm that only 3,161 metric tonnes were eventually purchased. This failure has left around 7,000 registered farmers in the lurch, many of whom are now being forced to sell their produce to private middlemen and traders at far lower prices.

The procurement drive, which officially ran from February 25 to May 25, was supposed to be a lifeline for farmers. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced through full-page advertisements that the government would pay Rs 5,950 per quintal for mustard, calling it part of an initiative to raise farmers’ incomes. But despite this, only 785 mustard growers across 26 districts benefited from the scheme. The overwhelming majority, mostly small and marginal farmers, found no takers for their crop.

The excuse offered by officials was familiar: excessive moisture content. The agencies involved reportedly rejected a large number of consignments on the grounds that the mustard seeds did not meet moisture norms. Farmers argue this was a convenient way to sidestep procurement, especially since the drying equipment provided at the purchase centres reportedly failed to function.

What makes the situation even more disheartening is that this year marks a steep decline in procurement numbers compared to previous years. In 2024, the government managed to purchase over 11,000 metric tonnes of mustard, and similar figures were achieved in 2023. The drop to just over 3,000 metric tonnes this year is being seen by many as a record low.

Behind the numbers is a deeper story of structural neglect. Many farmers in Assam claim they were not given adequate information, support, or access to functional procurement centres. Others allege that middlemen were favoured over genuine cultivators. Some say their crop was outright rejected without a proper check.

Officials from the agriculture department say the rejections were mostly due to the moisture levels in the mustard being above the permitted limit. But farmers argue that this limit, set at 8 percent, is unrealistic given the region’s climatic conditions. Requests to the Centre to relax this standard were reportedly turned down. Meanwhile, farmers are left with stockpiles of mustard they can’t sell at fair prices.

As it stands, what was supposed to be a flagship initiative to support mustard farmers in Assam has turned into a story of missed targets and unmet expectations. Even now, the government has not publicly released a full breakdown of the procurement figures, nor has it acknowledged the scale of farmer distress this has caused.

With no compensation or alternative support on offer, thousands of farmers are now watching their hard-earned harvest go to private traders for a fraction of its value. Many believe that without serious investment in post-harvest support and drying infrastructure, Assam’s mustard growers may continue to face the same systemic failure year after year.

Also Read: Assam Govt to Procure Mustard from Farmers at MSP Rs 5,450 Per Quintal