State govt to procure paddy directly from farmers

The state food department has taken up measures to stop the middlemen from preventing the farmers to sell paddy to the state government, Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick said on Tuesday.

He said the department had started procuring paddy from farmers in North 24-Parganas. Two camps were set up on Deganga and Basirhat football grounds. Around 750 farmers in Deganga and 400 farmers in Basirhat visited the camps to sell paddy. More 12 camps will b set up in North 24-Parganas, Mullick said. The step has been taken to ensure that the distribution of rice through food security scheme was not affected and also the farmers get proper price for their produce. He said the department had instructed the officers to get in touch with the farmers who are ready to sell paddy. The state government is now paying Rs 1,810 per quintal for paddy. Those farmers, who will go to kishan mandis to sell their produce, will earn Rs 15 extra. 

To save the farmers from middlemen, the state government has set up paddy procurement centres in every district.