Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to start procurement of paddy being harvested during the current kharif season from November 1.
This decision was taken at the state-level paddy procurement committee meeting held here Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at Secretariat.
“It was decided to start kharif paddy procurement from November 1. As per the decision taken by the Cabinet, target has been fixed to procure 53 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during this kharif and rabi procurement session,” Padhi told media persons after the meeting.
It was targeted to procure 44 lakh MT of paddy during kharif season while nine MT of paddy would be procured during upcoming rabi season, Padhi said, adding, “If needed, the target will be increased.”
The kharif paddy would be procured from November 1 to April 2018. The government has decided to start the procurement process in Kalahandi district from November 1while in Bargarh it will be from November 7, official sources said.
To participate in the procurement process, the farmers have to provide plot details along with Aadhaar number. So far about over 10 lakh farmers have registered with the government; out of them 73,537are sharecroppers, the source said.
This year, the Union government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) for both common and Grade-A variety. The MSP for common variety has been increased to Rs 1550 per quintal whereas it is Rs 1590 for grade-A. “The payment of farmers’ dues will be transferred by state agencies directly to their registered bank accounts through electronic mode as far as practicable,” an official said.
This year, the government has extended the execution of Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) to all the 308 high yielding blocks of the state, the official said.
The government would procure the grain from farmers through 2576 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies while 1436 millers will participate in the process. Those millers, who have not delivered 100 per cent of rice to government, have been barred from this process, they said.
According to sources, some millers have not delivered rice to the tune of 4 per cent of the total target last year. The government has initiated action against 62 such millers.
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