Bhubaneswar: The state government may not qualify for the Krishi Karman Award from Centre this year as the state has procured about 6 lakh tonne less paddy during this kharif season.
According to official sources, the state government has so far procured 38 lakh tonne paddy in kharif 2017-18 while it had procured 43.85 lakh tonne during kharif 2016-17. The crop in state was affected by pest attack, drought and unseasonal rain.
During rabi season 2016-17, the state had procured about 10 lakh tonne paddy and this year too, the state eyes to achieve this figure, an official said.
Notably, the state has received the award for four times. The earlier record was 54.17 lakh tonne procured during 2012-13 while the figure decreased to 42 lakh tonne in 2013-14. Similarly, the state had procured 52.45 lakh tonne in 2014-15 and 50.86 lakh tonne in the next year, he said.
“Analysing previous years’ procurement figures, it seems that the state may not win this year’s Krishi Karman Award,” the official added.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary AP Padhi Thursday held a review meeting for the upcoming rabi procurement season. The procurement of paddy for the Rabi crop season 2017-18 will start May 1 and continue till June 30.
So far 1.05 lakh farmers have registered to participate in the procurement process, of which about 6,000 farmers are sharecroppers.
