Hyderabad: FCI chief bares all on purchases

Hyderabad: The Food Corporation of India, Hyderabad, felt that the State Government was making an issue out of a non-issue regarding purchase of paddy during the rabi season. Addressing the media, FCI Hyderabad Regional Manager Deepak Sharma said that the country already has one procurement policy. He said the procedure was that before agriculture season begins, the respective state governments submit their agriculture plan and the estimated production of paddy and enter into an MoU with the Centr

In this case, the Telangana Government did not attend any such meeting nor did it sign an MoU with the Centre. He said barring Punjab, rice is consumed in all other states and they keep certain quantities for their own consumption. They mill the paddy and give it to the FCI as per the MoU. The FCI not only pays MSP but also reimburses the cost of milling, gunny bags, transportation and even the charges of 'hamalis'. No state has any problem with this system and till recently even Telangana did not have any problem.

Regarding Punjab, he said, paddy is procured from Punjab as it grows paddy exclusively for the central pool. Since it does not consume rice, there are no rice mills.