Paddy procurement in Punjab occurring easily, says Centre

Employees weigh and pack paddy baggage at a grain market.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters

Amid complaints and protests by farmers’ organisations in Punjab that paddy procurement from the State has been delayed, the Centre stated on Saturday (November 9, 2024) that the Meals Company of India (FCI) and the State companies have procured 120.67 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) paddy from the State.

Watch | What’s Minimal Help Worth?

The Centre stated to this point 6.58 lakh farmers within the State have obtained the advantages of procurement with minimal assist value (MSP) value ₹27,995 crore. “As such paddy procurement is occurring easily,” the Union authorities stated.

“A complete amount of 126.67 LMT of paddy has arrived within the Punjab mandis as of November 8, 2024, out of which 120.67 LMT has been procured by State companies and the FCI,” the Meals Ministry stated in an announcement. ‘A’ Grade paddy is being bought at MSP on the fee of ₹2,320 per quintal and the entire paddy bought until date within the ongoing kharif advertising and marketing season (KMS) quantities to ₹27,995 crore. “Additional, 4,839 millers have utilized for shelling of paddy and 4,743 millers have already been allotted work by Punjab State Authorities,” the Centre stated.

Earlier, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had protested in opposition to the delay in paddy procurement. The SKM had alleged that with the FCI delaying procurement of milled rice of final season, rice mills are unable to maintain and course of the contemporary inventory of paddy.

“The procurement of paddy for KMS 2024-25 has commenced in Punjab from October 1, 2024 and a couple of,927 designated mandis and short-term yards are operational all through the State for clean procurement from the farmers of Punjab. The Central authorities has fastened an estimated goal of 185 LMT for paddy procurement for the continued KMS 2024-25 which shall proceed as much as November 30, 2024,” the Centre stated and added that the paddy procured from the mandis is in full swing and the paddy being lifted is greater than the amount arriving day by day.