Millers advised to follow paddy procurement norms

Srikakulam: Owners of rice mills need to follow guidelines strictly in procurement of paddy from farmers during the current season, Joint Collector Sumit Kumar said on Wednesday.

He conducted a meeting with owners of rice mills and Civil Supplies Department officials in Srikakulam on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, the Joint Collector directed the millers to provide bank guarantees to the Civil Supplies Department within one week regarding procurement of paddy.

Owners of rice mills need to provide bank guarantee equal to the worth of the paddy which is allowed to be procured by the miller by the Civil Supplies Department, the JC explained. He has directed the Civil Supplies officials to prepare the list for all 323 rice mills across the district for the purpose of allotment of paddy quantity to each mill.

Millers need to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the produce as paddy will be purchased from farmers after conducting proper quality check including moisture. Millers should provide vehicles to bring paddy from the purchasing centers (PPCs) to the rice mills.

The Joint Collector suggested to the millers not to create hurdles to procurement of paddy from farmers and not to harass farmers in the name of rules as it is the responsibility of the Civil Supplies Department to provide quality paddy to the millers and the millers need to provide rice to the department in turn as per norms, the JC elaborated.

The Civil Supplies Department will provide godowns facility to the millers to store the procured paddy for the time being till the milling of paddy is completed.

The State government fixed Rs 1,888 for per quintal paddy for Grade-A variety and Rs 1,868 for per quintal paddy for normal variety as Minimum Support Price (MSP). Millers need to provide MSP without violation of the rules, the Joint Collector directed.

AP State Civil Supplies Corporation Srikakulam district manager Aakula Krishna Rao, District Civil Supplies Officer D V Ramana and owners of various rice mills across the district attended.