STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The six agencies that procure paddy in Assam have missed the procurement target this year as well. However, the Assam State Agriculture Marketing Board (ASAMB) claims that Assam has been successful in serving the very purpose of the MIS (market intervention scheme) by procuring paddy at the MSP (minimum support price) from the state farmers to provide them immunity from the pressure tactics of middlemen.
The paddy procurement target set for the 2022–23 Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) in Assam was 10,89,750 MT. However, the six agencies could procure only 598126.99 MT, benefiting 62,423 state farmers. The six procurement agencies concerned are: FCI (Food Corporation of India), AFCSCL (Assam Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd), ASAMB (Assam State Agricultural 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), which together have 272 paddy procurement centres (PPCs) spread all over the state.
During the 2022–23 Kharif Marketing Season, the FCI procured 194265.8 MT compared to the target of 426000 MT from 19331 farmers; AFCSCL procured 348883.29 MT of paddy compared to the target of 510500 MT from 36852 farmers; ASAMB procured 4461.28 MT compared to the set target of 6,000 MT from 520 farmers; NACOF procured 5614.3 MT compared to the target of 8250 MT of paddy from 651 farmers; NAFED procured 38993.87 MT compared to the target of 131500 MT from 4537 farmers; and NCCF procured 5908.45 MT compared to the target of 7500 MT from 532 farmers.
The Kharif Marketing Season comprises two components: the first crop, which includes all common paddies (shali dhan), and the second crop, which includes the Boro paddies.
Speaking to The Sentinel, ASAMB chairman Manoj Baruah said, “The KMS starts in September every year with the issuance of a notification, and the paddy procurement continues from October to September. This duration comprises the first crop from October to June and the second crop from July to September.”
When asked on the reason behind Assam missing the paddy procurement target this year as well, Baruah said, “Though the procurement starts in October, the sale of paddy does pick up pace as the moisture content of paddy in the state is above the accepted 17 percent at that time. The procurement of paddy picks up pace in Assam only after the Magh Bihu (the second half of January), when the moisture content of paddy in the state comes below 17 percent. In the case of the second crop, the percentage of moisture content remains below 17 percent.”
Baruah said, “We have missed the target this year as always. I do, however, feel that we have been successful in serving the very purpose of this MIS (market intervention scheme) of the Central Government by providing immunity to 62,423 farmers from the wrath of the middle by procuring paddy from them at the MSP at Rs 2,040 per quintal.”
Baruah, however, said the other positive side of this market intervention scheme is that, for the first time in Assam, the market prices of paddy were higher than the MSP, enabling the farmers of the state to sell paddy in the open market instead of going to the PPCs.
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