After thousands of protesting farmers marched towards Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s residence in Bhopal, the Bharatiya Janata Party government on Wednesday increased the procurement limit for moong to 60% from 25% of the state’s estimated crop.

The farmers were demanding 100% procurement of moong at the minimum support price.

Farmer organisations have said that while the Union government has announced full procurement of tur, urad and masur, moong continues to be procured under the price support scheme, in which purchases are capped at 25% of a state’s estimated production, The Indian Express reported.

They argued that the ceiling forces farmers to sell much of their harvest in the open market at prices below the minimum support price.

The agitation began on Monday, when farmers from 19 organisations under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha began a march towards Bhopal from Sethani Ghat in Narmadapuram 75 km away.

On Wednesday, they breached police barricades at several locations in the state capital before reaching Polytechnic Square, which is less than a km from the chief minister’s residence. The authorities blocked their march with buses and additional barricades.

Later in the day, the government announced the decision after talks between the farmer representatives and Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana.

The Union government had earlier agreed to procure 4.5 lakh metric tonnes of moong from Madhya Pradesh at the minimum support price of Rs 8,780 per quintal for the 2026-’27 marketing season. The quantity amounts to about 25% of the state’s estimated production of 20.1 lakh metric tonnes.

Announcing the revised procurement limit, Kansana said that it would be implemented immediately.

“In districts like Narmadapuram, Sehore, and Harda, this will amount to around three quintals per acre,” The Hindu quoted Kansana as saying. “The decision will be implemented immediately, and efforts will be made to benefit the maximum number of farmers.”

The minister also said that while the deadline for booking procurement slots had been extended to August 10, the procurement period had been extended till August 20.

The state government also suspended the e-token system for fertiliser distribution, addressing another key demand of the protesters. Farmers had complained that technical glitches in the online system made it difficult to obtain fertilisers during the sowing season.

Kansana said that a high-level committee headed by the chairperson of the Agricultural Production Commission would review the system and recommend changes.

However, farmer leaders said that the government’s move was an aim to “pacify” the protest, The Hindu reported.

“This is a lollipop to end the movement because of the Datia election,” The Hindu quoted farmer representative Subodh Raikhere as saying. “We stand by our demand of 100% procurement.”

The Datia Assembly constituency will vote in the bye-elections on Thursday.

Raikhere said that the protesters would continue to camp in Bhopal and decide their next course of action after consulting all 19 participating organisations.

Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.

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