Bhubaneswar: Paddy procurement for the current Kharif season in the state will commence from November 21, informed the Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday.
As per reports, a ministerial meeting was held on paddy procurement. Following the meeting, Pujari said paddy procurement would commence in Bargarh district. The state government will purchase paddy from farmers at Rs 3,100 per quintal. The procurement process will begin on November 21. The minimum support price (MSP) for paddy is Rs 2,300 per quintal, and the state government will provide additional input assistance of Rs 800 per quintal, making the total procurement price ₹3,100 per quintal.
As per the decision taken in the meeting, designated officials will be stationed at mandis until the process is complete to ensure a smooth paddy procurement process. Each 4-5 mandis will have a supervisor. Quality testing machines will also be installed at the mandis to check the quality of the paddy. Additionally, the transportation department will take care of the transportation of paddy from mandis to rice mills.
In a bid to prevent paddy smuggling from neighbouring states, the government has decided to deploy patrolling teams and install CCTV cameras. This measure ensures that only genuine farmers benefit from the procurement process. The district collectors have been asked to facilitate the whole process.
