PATNA, March 25 -- Bihar's lentil growers are set to receive a major windfall as the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (Nafed) prepares to procure around 32,000 metric tonnes of masoor dal this rabi season at the government-fixed minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.7,000 per quintal.

This marks the first time the central procurement agency will lift lentils directly from the state's fields on MSP. Until now, only paddy and wheat had enjoyed such assured purchases in Bihar. The move follows swift approval from the Union government after the state pitched for intervention during a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Pratyay Amrit on February 11.

State agriculture minister Ram Kripal Yadav describe...