Govt's paddy buying up 18.8% so far, highest from Punjab

New Delhi: The government's kharif paddy procurement jumps 18.78 per cent to 310.61 lakh tonnes so far this year, with over 65 per cent been purchased from Punjab alone, according to the Union food ministry. About Rs 58,644.65 crore worth of paddy has been purchased at the minimum support price (MSP) from about 28.45 lakh farmers so far, it said in a statement.

Paddy procurement commenced in Punjab and Haryana from September 26 due to early arrival of the crop, while in other states from October 1.

More than 80 per cent of the country's paddy crop is grown in the kharif season. The government through Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies undertakes procurement of paddy at the minimum support price (MSP).

According to the ministry, about 310.61 lakh tonne of paddy has been procured up to November 26, against 261.48 lakh tonne in the year-ago period.

"Out of the total purchase of 310.61 lakh tonne, Punjab alone has contributed 202.65 lakh tonne, which is 65.24 per cent of the total procurement," it noted. For the current year, the Centre has fixed the MSP of paddy (common grade) at Rs 1,868 per quintal, while that of A-grade variety has been fixed at Rs 1,888 per quintal.

According to the ministry, MSP procurement of paddy in this kharif 2020-21 marketing season is "continuing smoothly" in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. In the case of cotton, state-run Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured 26.62 lakh bales worth Rs 7,864.10 crore from 5,37,156 farmers till November 26.

Cotton buying under MSP is going on smoothly in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha and Karnataka.