This year govt will buy 4 lakh metric tons of paddy: Gangula Kamalakar

Karimnagar: Though the entire nation is gripped in the second wave of coronavirus, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has taken steps so that farmers can sell their produce without any problems, stated BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar.

The Minister attended as a chief guest at the preparatory meeting of purchasing food grains of Rabi for 2020-21, at the Collectorate conference hall in Karimnagar on Monday.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Kamalakar said that CM KCR spoke to the Central government about purchasing of food grains by Food Corporation of India (FCI). 'The State government is taking all kinds of measures to purchase food grains by FCI. Farmers must dry food grains before bringing them to procurement centres to sell without any moisture content present in the food grains.'

The Minister told the officials to take steps to prevent food grains from neighboring States to enter the State, as minimum support price (MSP) is more in Telangana compared to others and to take steps within three days to prevent shortage of gunny bags.

Kamalakar informed that food grains purchase will be held through token system. Farmers must follow Covid-19 guidelines before bringing their produce to the procurement centres. They must wear face masks and must maintain physical distance at these centres, he added. The agriculture department officials were directed to give suggestions to the farmers on how to eradicate pest attack to paddy crop. Against three lakh metric tons of food grains purchased last year, this year the government is going to purchase around four lakh metric tons, he said.

District Collector K Shashanka, Additional Collector Shyam Prasad Lal, District Rural Development Officer Srilatha Reddy, Rice Millers Association president Bhaskar, secretary Sudhakar, agriculture market committee chairperson Anitha and others were present.