Ahead of the sunflower procurement for the Rabi Marketing Season 2026-27, the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has declared 17 purchase centers in five districts of Haryana for the procurement.
While Ambala and Kurukshetra have been allotted seven purchase centres each, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Panchkula have been allotted one each.
In its directions issued to the officials of Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula and Yamunanagar, the Directorate informed that as per the notification of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, the harvesting period of sunflower seed is from June 1-15 and the procurement period is from June 1-30.
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the sunflower for the rabi marketing season 2026-27 is Rs 7,721 a quintal.
The officials have been directed to ensure the necessary arrangements for the procurement of sunflower.
As per the directions issued by the Additional Director (Procurement), the Ambala City, Ambala Cantonment, Barara, Mullana, Shahzadpur, Saha and Naraingarh grain markets have been declared as the purchase centres for the Ambala district.
Similarly, Ismailabad, Thanesar, Thol, Shahabad, Ladwa, Babain and Jhansa are the purchase centres for the Kurukshetra district.
In Karnal district, the Karnal grain market, Barwala in Panchkula and Sadhaura in Yamunanagar have been declared as the purchase centres.
Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA) Ambala Dr Jasvinder Singh Saini said “The sunflower crop is looking good and the farmers are expecting a bumper crop this year. The government has declared 17 purchase centres for the season in the state and instructions regarding the procurement have also been issued.”
Neeraj Bhardwaj, secretary of Ambala Cantonment Grain Market, said “The Ambala Cantonment grain market is among the purchase centres declared for the procurement of sunflower. Directions have been issued to the staff to ensure that the grain market is fully prepared for the procurement. The farmers are requested to bring produce after cleaning and drying so that they don’t have to wait to sell their produce.”
Meanwhile, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains said “The harvesting will begin around May 20 and the arrivals being soon after, however thegovernment procurement agencies will start procurement from June 1. Sunflower is a sensitive crop. We request the government to start procurement as soon as the arrivals begin. The government should ensure that the entire stock is procured by the government on the MSP and the farmers are not forced to sell the produce in the open market below the MSP.”
