Centre orders immediate procurement of paddy in Punjab, Haryana to 'pacify' agitating farmers

CHANDIGARH: In an effort to pacify the protesting farmers, the Centre has allowed early procurement of paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Punjab and Haryana from Saturday.

The Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21 for paddy was scheduled to commence in all the procuring states from October 1.

The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution issued the orders in this regard. The Ministry's statement read: "In view of the early arrival of paddy in the ‘mandis’ of Haryana and Punjab, Government of India has approved the commencement of procurement operations for paddy/rice immediately in both these States from today i.e. with effect from 26th September 2020 to ensure that farmers are facilitated in selling their produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP) expeditiously. Orders for the commencement of procurement operations for paddy /rice from 26th September 2020 in Haryana and Punjab have been issued."

The Centre has fixed MSP for 'common variety' paddy at Rs 1,868 per quintal and for 'A' grade variety at Rs 1,888 per quintal for the current year.

The government has kept a target to procure 113 lakh tonnes of rice from Punjab and 44 lakh tonnes from Haryana during the Kharif marketing season.

Sources in the Punjab state food supplies department said that the targeted procurement of paddy this year is around 170 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT). As this paddy procurement is going to be under the shadow of COVID-19 pandemic and for that the department has made extensive arrangements including an increase in the number of mandis from the present 1,700 to around 4,000. Public grounds, stadiums and other such facilities will be utilized for paddy procurement.

The department said it would use its experience of wheat procurement during which there was not a single instance of COVID-19 case. The social distancing and health protocols will be repeated with extra focus and alacrity keeping in view the recent Covid-19 spike in the state, said an official.

The move will help ensure staggered procurement, thus preventing crowding of the Mandis during the pandemic. The decision was taken on the basis of a proposal of the Food and Civil Supplies Department after examining the concerns and issues raised by the Punjab Rice Industry Association in its representation.