Uttam: Paddy procurement from Oct first week; Rs 500 bonus for superfine variety

Hyderabad: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday stated that the procurement of paddy would begin from the first week of October and continue until January. The Minister asked officials to provide a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal to farmers with superfine variety.

The Minister said that the government would set up 7,139 procurement centers across the state, including 4,496 purchase centers established through primary agricultural cooperative societies, 2,102 through IKP centers, and 541 through others. On Monday, the Minister held a special review meeting with the State Joint Collectors, District Civil Supplies Officers, and District Level Civil Supplies Departmental Managers on the purchase of the 2023-24 Kharif crop at the Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute (MCRHRD).

He mentioned that the Rs 500 bonus is being offered to encourage farmers, who are the backbone of the state, to opt for the superfine variety. He described this as a revolutionary decision. He reiterated that the procurement of paddy, starting in the first week of October, will continue until the end of January.

Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that paddy will not be given to millers who have committed irregularities in the past. He advised officials against manipulations regarding paddy purchases, which involve borrowing people's money. Strict measures should be taken to prevent the import of grain from bordering states. He also noted that the yield of sugarcane has met government expectations, cultivated in 36.80 lakh acres.