Paddy procurement to begin from Oct 1

Guntur: Minister for Civil Supplies Dr Nadendla Manohar said the government will purchase paddy from the farmers from October 1 for kharif and transfer the amount to the farmers’ bank accounts within 48 hours.

He said the government prepared a plan to purchase all the paddy stocks produced by farmers.

He addressed a workshop conducted on paddy purchases with the joint collectors, Civil Supplies Department officials, Agriculture Marketing Department and Cooperative Department officials on Friday in Vijayawada city.

He said the government will give freedom to the farmers to select rice mills for selling paddy stock and maintain transparency in paddy purchases.

Referring to the YSRCP government, he questioned why the previous government had failed to pay paddy purchase dues to the farmers in rabi.

He reiterated that the TDP, JSP and BJP alliance government was committed to the welfare of the farmers.

Later addressing the media, he said that the government is making arrangements to purchase 37 lakh tonnes paddy stock from the farmers. He said they will use technology to solve the field-level problems of the farmers.

The government is arranging lorries for transporting the paddy stocks. He said the government will take steps to pay compensation to the famers who suffered loss due to floods and heavy rains.

AP Civil Supplies department managing director Veera Pandian and Markfed director Manzeer Jilani Samoon were among those who participated.