The Indian government has approved the procurement of 20 lakh tonnes of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh at a market intervention price of ₹6,500.90 per tonne, resulting in an expenditure of ₹203.15 crore. This initiative is part of a broader effort to safeguard farmers against distress sales, particularly during peak harvest periods when market prices often fall below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). In a related decision, the Union Agriculture Ministry has increased the procurement limit for gram in Andhra Pradesh from 94,500 tonnes to 1.13 lakh tonnes. Furthermore, the procurement window for tur in Karnataka has been extended to May 15, allowing farmers more time to sell their produce at remunerative prices. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that these measures are designed to ensure that farmers receive fair compensation and are not forced to sell at significantly lower prices.