Kharif paddy purchase from Nov 25

SAMBALPUR/BHAWANIPATNA: Paddy procurement for the ongoing kharif season will begin from November 25 in Sambalpur and Kalahandi districts.This was decided at the paddy procurement committee meetings held in both the districts on Thursday.

In Sambalpur, procurement will be carried out through 51 market yards and paddy purchase centres. At least 45 primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) and large-sized agricultural multi-purpose cooperative societies (LAMPS) besides 15 women self help groups (WSHGs) will participate in the paddy procurement process.

Official sources said 56,348 farmers have registered their names to take part in the procurement process. At least 129 market yards will be opened for procurement and 46 millers will procure the paddy. In the first phase, all market yards in Sambalpur division will be opened on November 25. The market yards in Kuchinda and Rairakhol subdivisions will be opened in the second and third phase respectively after a gap of one week each.

The minimum support price (MSP) is Rs 2,040 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2,060 per quintal for Grade ‘A’ paddy. The regulated market committees (RMCs) will put in place necessary infrastructure and equipment for smooth paddy procurement. Sources said there is a demand for special arrangements for women at market yards considering the increased participation of women farmers in the procurement process.

Farmer leader Ashok Pradhan said, “While the administration has decided to purchase paddy from November 25, our concerns over the issue of token, procurement duration and deduction of paddy on pretext of quality are still unresolved. It is unfortunate that the district administration is left with no power to take any decision due to the centralised system.”

Similarly in Kalahandi, kharif paddy procurement will start from November 25 in Bhawanipatna, Dharamgarh, Jaipatna, Koksara, Junagarh and Kalampur blocks. Procurement will start in Golamunda block from November 28 and in Karlamunda, the next day. The paddy purchase process will begin from November 30 in M Rampur. In Narla and Kesinga blocks, the procurement will commence from December 1.

The administration will open 208 paddy procuring centres in the district. Around 74 PACSs and 33 WSHGs will be engaged as procuring agents while 75 millers will procure the paddy. Around 98,337 farmers have registered their names for selling paddy. The kharif paddy procurement target for the district is yet to be fixed.