Jharkhand begins paddy procurement, Minister vows to prevent outflow to Bengal
Ranchi, Dec 15 (IANS) Jharkhand has commenced the procurement of paddy from farmers at Rs 2,400 per quintal, including a Rs 200 bonus above the Minimum Support Price (MSP). State Food Supply Minister Irfan Ansari said that the paddy produced in the state will not be allowed to go into neighboring West Bengal or other states.
Speaking at the inauguration of a paddy procurement center in Nizampura, Jamtara district on Sunday, Minister Ansari urged farmers to sell their harvest at government procurement centers only rather than through middlemen. “This year’s paddy crop will remain within Jharkhand to support the state’s food security,” he stated.
The government has set a procurement target of 60 lakh quintals this year, matching last year’s target. A total of 699 procurement centers have been set up across the state, with 112 centers starting operations on Sunday.
On the inaugural day, a quite a good number of farmers brought their harvest for sale.
Farmers will receive 50 per cent of the total amount for their paddy at the time of sale, with the remaining 50 per cent and the bonus to be paid after the paddy is processed by rice mills or delivered to district-level warehouses.
The Minister said farmers will receive Rs 2,400 per quintal for standard paddy and Rs 2,420 for grade-A paddy, inclusive of the Rs 200 per quintal bonus.
Over 2.33 lakh farmers have registered to sell paddy at government centers across the state. A cap of 200 quintals per farmer has been set to ensure equitable benefits for small and marginal farmers.
The state has reported a bumper crop this year, with an estimated production of 41.38 lakh tonnes of paddy cultivated across 15.48 lakh hectares. This marks a significant increase from 2023’s production of 32.10 lakh tonnes.
Minister Ansari also announced plans to enhance the efficiency of Public Distribution System (PDS) and Large Area Multipurpose Societies (LAMPS) across the state to ensure better support for farmers.
–IANS
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