Telangana Civil Supplies To Purchase Paddy From Farmers

Hyderabad: The Telangana Civil Supplies Department has decided to purchase an estimated 36 lakh tonnes of paddy from farmers in the coming Rabi season, a senior official said today.

Commissioner for Civil Supplies C V Anand said all arrangements are being made for purchasing paddy from farmers from the first week of April. Anand, who held a review meeting with officials on Rabi paddy procurement at the Civil Supplies Bhavan here, said all necessary measures should be taken to see that farmers do not face any difficulty in selling paddy at Minimum Support Price.

"Minimum Support Price should be compulsorily paid to farmers. MSP for ordinary paddy is Rs 1,550, while for Grade ‘A' paddy it is Rs 1,590," he said. "In April 12.74 lakh tonnes, May 18.20 lakh tonnes and June, 5.46 lakh tonnes of paddy yield is expected. For this 3,259 Paddy Purchase Centres (PPC's) are being arranged," Anand said.

From the 2016-17 Kharif season paddy purchase was done through Online Procurement Management System and payments made directly to farmers accounts online to avoid involvement of middlemen.

Till last Kharif season, 72 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was purchased from 15 lakh farmers directly and payments to their respective accounts were made within four days directly, the Commissioner added. (PTI)