MUMBAI: Following the central government's rejection to give an extension to purchase Tur dal from the farmers, Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met Ramvilas Paswan , Union ninister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution in Delhi demanding that Tur that has arrived at the market yards across the state on April 22 should be allowed to be purchased.There has been a bumper production of Tur in the state this year, and since the market rates have dipped, the state government had started 318 buying centres and has purchased close to 4 lakh metric tons of Tur dal at the rate of Rs 5050 per quintal. This year there has been a bumper production of Tur. Maharashtra has produced 20 lakh metric ton of Tur as against 4.4 lakh metric ton last year.The state government began to procure the pulse on behalf of the Centre under the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed). Since January the original 90 day deadline ended on March 15 and then a one-month extension up to April 15 was given and the final one week extension ended on April 22."The centre has rejected the demand to give an extension. Even on the last day of the purchase, there was heavy rush at the centres. For now, Tur will be purchased from those farmers who have been given a token. But, there were a lot of them who have been sent back. There is still no clarity on what to do with their produce," said a senior official from mantralaya. "Many places in Vidarbha starts harvest one month later than other parts of the state. An average of 2 lakh quintal Tur is the daily arrival in the market in Vidarbha. The shutting of purchase centres has left the farmers in a lurch," said Sairam Jadhav, a famer from Amravati.Farmers have been massively affected by the refusal to grant an extension.Fadnavis also demanded that the central government increase the import duty on Tur from 10% to 25%. India is the largest producer of Tur as well as the largest importer.

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