Nagarkurnool registers record paddy production

Nagarkurnool: District Collector E Sridhar said that the district registered an increase of 291 per cent in paddy production. For the first time in the history of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar, the farmers of Nagarkurnool region have registered the highest record in paddy production during Rabi season and also highest percentage of increase across Telangana. Farmers cultivated paddy in about 80,686 hectares and expected 2.48 lakh metric tonnes yield. The government planned to procure 2.034 lakh metric tonnes through 228 paddy procurement centres across the district.

The Collector paid a surprise visit to paddy procurement centres organised by Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit society (PACS) in Telkapally and Peddakottapally mandal headquarters on Tuesday and inspected the process of paddy procurement. When he enquired about any problems they were facing, most of the farmers expressed satisfaction. But a few farmers complained of gauging their paddy lower grade and reducing the price citing moisture content. The Collector advised them to make sure that their paddy does not have more moisture than the stipulated. He said the msp for A grade paddy will be Rs 1,835 per quintal and that of B grade will be Rs 1,815 per quintal.

He said that the government had procured 1,250 quintals of paddy from Telkapally farmers till date and 890 quintals was procured from Peddakottapally mandal. So far, though 170 paddy procurement centres across Nagarkurnool, 15,250 metric tonnes of paddy was procured, he informed.

Earlier, the farmers in Nagarkurnool used to cultivate paddy in 30,838 hectares only. However, during this Rabi season paddy cultivation was almost tripled and expanded to 80,686 hectares, which is a record in the history of Nagarkurnool district.

As per the production analysis, the district authorities are expecting a record production of more than 2.48 lakh metric tonnes of paddy and planning to procure 2.034 lakh metric tonnes through 228 procurement centres, which will be set up across various villages in the district. The Collector urged the farmers to follow social distance at paddy procurement centres and directed the PACS authorities, agriculture department and officials of marketing to arrange all necessary facilities to the farmers at the procurement centres in villages.