Jaipur, May 14 (IANS): The procurement of wheat, chana, and mustard continues interrupted in Rajasthan despite closure of all 247 agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC) mandis due to the ongoing strike in the state.

Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vyapar Sangh president Babulal Gupta told IANS that the traders in these mandis were observing a strike to protest against the imposition of 2per cent farmers welfare cess.

"We are already paying a huge fees imposed earlier as per the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1961. Now comes this second cess which shall lead to losses in agricultural produce trading," he said.

Cooperative Minister Udailal Anjana on Wednesday said that 1.16 lakh tonnes of mustard and gram had been procured so far from 45,813 farmers in the state at the minimum support price till May 12 totalling Rs 541.52 crore. Out of this, Rs 386.71 crore has been paid to 32,509 farmers in their bank accounts, Anjana said.

Anjana said that in order to allow maximum number of farmers to get the benefit of purchase at the MSP, the capacity of centres, where the registration limit was already met, has been increased by 10 per cent.

On Wednesday, 10 per cent registration limit was increased at 69 centres. Farmers can now register at these centers from May 14. Till date, 10 per cent registration limit has been increased at 208 centres which has helped around 15,000 farmers, he added.

Meanwhile, the Food Corporation of India data said that 1,42,044 metric tonnes of wheat was procured by the state government agencies while 5,66,466 metric tonnes was procured by the FCI.