Chhattisgarh eyes 11 million MT paddy procurement in 2022-23: Official

About 110 lakh metric tonnes of paddy is estimated to be procured at the minimum support price (MSP) in the ongoing kharif marketing season from farmers in Chhattisgarh, a government official said

About 110 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy is estimated to be procured at the minimum support price (MSP) in the ongoing kharif marketing season from farmers in Chhattisgarh, a government official said on Monday.

Last year, around 98 lakh MT of paddy was purchased from cultivators in the state. The paddy procurement drive will begin on November 1, Chhattisgarh's statehood day, and conclude on January 31 next year. All preparations are in full swing to start purchase of paddy and so far over 25 lakh farmers have registered, 95,000 of them new registrations, themselves to sell their produce at designated centres, he said. Registrations of farmers who were enrolled last year were carry forward this year, the official added. About 110 lakh metric tonnes of paddy is estimated to be procured in this kharif marketing season for which 5.50 lakh bundles of jute gunny bags will be required, he said. A trial run of the drive will be held from October 26 to 28 at all cooperative societies before actual procurement starts, he added. Teams of revenue, food, cooperative and forest departments have been constituted at the district level to check illegal flow of paddy from neighbouring states, the official added. In June this year, the Centre had hiked the minimum support price of paddy by Rs 100 to Rs 2,040 per quintal for the 2022-23 crop year.