In a bid to support farmers and ensure fair compensation, the state government has outlined an ambitious target to procure 40,000 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy directly from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the upcoming Kharif season. This announcement was made by Food Minister Sushanta Chowdhuey during a joint press conference held at the Secretariat on Saturday, where Agriculture Minister Ratanlal Nath was also present.
The paddy procurement drive is scheduled to kick off on December 11 at a rate of Rs. 21.83 per kilogram. Minister Chowdhuey emphasized that the government aims to complete the procurement process by January 11 of the following year. The procurement operations will commence from a center located in Melaghar, Sepahijala district.
To ensure the seamless execution of the procurement drive, a virtual meeting was chaired by Agriculture Minister Ratanlal Nath with Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Agriculture Officers from eight districts, and officials from the Food department to review the preparations.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to supporting farmers, Minister Chowdhury informed the media that the state has been procuring paddy directly from farmers twice a year since 2018. From the Kharif season of 2018-19 to the current period of 2022-23, the government successfully procured 1,79,219 MT of paddy directly at MSP from 91,377 farmers, resulting in a financial benefit of Rs. 342.34 crore for the farming community.
Agriculture Minister Ratanlal Nath underscored the positive trajectory in Minimum Support Price for paddy, noting that it has increased from Rs. 17.50 per kg in 2018-19 to the current rate of Rs. 21.83 per kg.
The press conference was attended by key officials, including Special Secretary of the Food department Raval Hamendra Kumar, Director of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department Saradindu Das, and Director of Food Animesh Debbarma, indicating a comprehensive and coordinated approach in the government’s efforts to bolster the agricultural sector and ensure fair compensation for farmers.
