Assam: Paddy procurement of Kharif season starts today

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: With the KMS 2023-24 (Karif Marketing Season 2023-24) underway in the state, the state and central agencies will start procuring paddy directly from the farmers of the state at an MSP (Minimum Support of Price) of Rs 2,183 per quintal from December 1.

The State Government has appealed to the farmers of the state to sell their paddy at their nearest paddy procurement centres, instead of selling it to the middlemen. The MSP of paddy was Rs 2,040 per quintal during the KMS 2022-23. Various state and central agencies procured 5,98,127 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy from the state in the last marketing season.

Speaking to The Sentinel, Food, Public Distribution and Consumers Affairs Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass said, "The state has as many as 170 paddy procurement centres of the state and central agencies, as of now. We are trying to raise the number of such procurement centres up to 200, so as to ensure that the farmers can sell their produces at their doorstep, as much as possible. On the eve of the start of paddy procurement by government agencies, I appeal to the famers not to sell their produce to middlemen, skipping the government paddy procurement centres. However, the farmers have to ensure that they go to the procurement centres with dry paddy with less moisture content."

Dass said, "It's common in Assam that the farmers leave their farmlands fallow after the harvesting of paddy. I appeal to them to cultivate mustard on their land after the harvesting of paddy, and that will improve their income. The MSP for mustard is Rs 5,545 per quintal, and the government agencies will procure mustard from the farmers directly."

Before approaching the paddy procurement centres, the farmers will have to take a certificate each from the Agriculture Department. The ADOs (Agriculture Development Officers) will issue such certificates to the farmers of their respective areas based on their land documents.

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