Thiruvananthapuram: Agriculture Minister Adv T Siddique announced that administrative approval has been granted for a ₹20 crore project aimed at ensuring price stability for agricultural produce, strengthening market intervention and securing fair prices for farmers in the state during Onam. The objective of the scheme is to cushion farmers against losses caused by market price dips, guarantee fair returns for agricultural commodities and ensure consumers have access to quality products at reasonable rates. The funds under this scheme are allocated to cover expenses for procuring various agricultural produce directly from farmers and for organising Onam markets (fairs) across the state to curb price rises through market intervention. As part of the initiative, ₹6.98 crore has been sanctioned for procuring agricultural produce through Horticorp, ₹2 crore for raw coconut procurement through Kerafed, and ₹10.24 crore for setting up Onam markets statewide. The Minister added that this market intervention scheme will prove vital in offering farmers a lucrative market for their produce during Onam while ensuring consumers can obtain vegetables and other agricultural commodities at fair prices.