Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Thursday increased the target of paddy procurement for this year by one lakh metric tonne, highest ever in the state, against the earlier 4.5lakh MT. The decision was taken after the state saw a bumper harvest and a growing number of farmers registered themselves to sell their produce, officials in the state food and civil supplies department said.
Paddy procurement for the ongoing season began on December 1 last year, about two weeks in advance because of the timely harvest following a good monsoon. Despite the raging global pandemic, Jharkhand harvested over 50 lakh tonne paddy this season compared to 37 lakh tonne last year. Tirkey hoped that by the end of this year’s procurement process, they will be able to break all past records.
Confirming the decision, food and civil supplies director Dilip Tirkey said the new procurement target has been fixed at 5,49,500 MT.
“Following directives from the government, the department has notified the changed target and intimated the same to all the districts. The procurement target for every district has also been revised so that more farmers can sell their produce at government centres on the minimum support price (MSP). We will procure food grains till March 31,” said Tirkey.
Close to two lakh farmers in the state have registered themselves to participate in the procurement process. “In the beginning of the process, around 1.39 lakh farmers had registered themselves but gradually, the number swelled,” said Tirkey.
Figures available with the department suggest that so far about 2.6lakh MT paddy has been procured from about 47,283 farmers. As many as 454 procurement centres have been set up across the state this year, more than 100 that functioned last year. To encourage better response from farmers, the state government is also providing 50% payment of the MSP on the spot. This year, the state has fixed the MSP at Rs 1,868 per quintal for normal paddy and Rs 1,888 per quintal for grade A quality along with an additional bonus of Rs 182 per quintal.
Paddy procurement for the ongoing season began on December 1 last year, about two weeks in advance because of the timely harvest following a good monsoon. Despite the raging global pandemic, Jharkhand harvested over 50 lakh tonne paddy this season compared to 37 lakh tonne last year. Tirkey hoped that by the end of this year’s procurement process, they will be able to break all past records.
Confirming the decision, food and civil supplies director Dilip Tirkey said the new procurement target has been fixed at 5,49,500 MT.
“Following directives from the government, the department has notified the changed target and intimated the same to all the districts. The procurement target for every district has also been revised so that more farmers can sell their produce at government centres on the minimum support price (MSP). We will procure food grains till March 31,” said Tirkey.
Close to two lakh farmers in the state have registered themselves to participate in the procurement process. “In the beginning of the process, around 1.39 lakh farmers had registered themselves but gradually, the number swelled,” said Tirkey.
Figures available with the department suggest that so far about 2.6lakh MT paddy has been procured from about 47,283 farmers. As many as 454 procurement centres have been set up across the state this year, more than 100 that functioned last year. To encourage better response from farmers, the state government is also providing 50% payment of the MSP on the spot. This year, the state has fixed the MSP at Rs 1,868 per quintal for normal paddy and Rs 1,888 per quintal for grade A quality along with an additional bonus of Rs 182 per quintal.
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