STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Paddy procurement in Assam scripted an all-time high record during the 2021-20 Kharif season. Various agencies procured around five lakh MT (metric tonnes) of paddy from the state this season, benefitting around 43,000 farmers.
This year the sales of paddy got a boost with the State Government launching a portal that enables the farmers to express their willingness to sell paddy. The MSP (Minimum Support Price) for paddy in the state is Rs 1,940 per quintal. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma monitored the paddy procurement process from time to time to let the farmers get remunerative prices.
According to official sources, the procuring agencies paid around Rs 972 crore to farmers in the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode.
Talking to The Sentinel, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said, "The increase in paddy procurement this year is a good sign in an agriculture-based state like Assam. It has benefited the farmers, at least to an extent. They cannot sell their products at the MSP in the market. The Chief Minister himself monitored the paddy procurement system. We are hopeful of keeping this tempo in paddy procurement up. The Food and Civil Supplies Department played a key role in paddy procurement this year. "
FCI (Food Corporation of India), AFCSCL (Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd), ASAMB (Assam State Agriculture Marketing Board), NACOF (National Federation of Farmers' Procurement Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Ltd), NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited) procured paddy from farmers in the state. They set up paddy procurement centres in different parts of the state.
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