Punjab News: Sukhbir Badal asks CM Mann why Punjab has ‘abandoned’ Moong growers
Punjab News: Sukhbir Badal asks CM Mann why Punjab has ‘abandoned’ Moong growers
SAD chief alleges farmers forced to sell crop below MSP as state agencies stay away from procurement.
Chandigarh, July 7, 2026:
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann of abandoning Punjab’s moong growers by failing to procure their crop at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) despite earlier assurances.
In a statement, Badal alleged that with state procurement agencies staying away from the markets, farmers have been left at the mercy of private traders, who are purchasing moong at ₹6,500-7,000 per quintal, well below the MSP of ₹8,780 per quintal.
Claiming that this is the fourth consecutive season in which moong growers have been let down, Badal said the Chief Minister had encouraged farmers to cultivate moong in 2022 with a promise of complete government procurement. However, he alleged that state agencies procured only about one per cent of the crop in 2022, even less in 2023, and none since 2024.
The SAD president said the government’s failure to procure moong was discouraging crop diversification and hurting farmers’ incomes. He added that farmers adopting alternative crops should be supported, particularly as moong cultivation is vulnerable to erratic weather and disease.
Badal said the SAD would ensure procurement of moong at MSP and introduce measures to enhance farmers’ incomes if the party forms the government in Punjab after the 2027 Assembly elections.
