Paddy MSP likely to increase by 15% in Chhattisgarh

Paddy arrival in the societies set up by the state government for purchasing the produce at minimum support price (MSP) in Chhattisgarh is likely to increase by about 15 per cent this year.

Buoyant monsoon that the state received this year had resulted in bumper production of paddy in Chhattisgarh. The state government is purchasing paddy from the farmers at MSP through the primary cooperative societies set up at the village level across the state.

“This year, the government is expecting an inflow of 6.85 Million Tonnes (MT) of paddy,” food and civil supplies minister Punnulal Mohile told Business Standard. The estimated paddy arrival would be about 15 per cent more as compared to last year as the government had procured 5.9 MT paddy in the kharif marketing season 2011-12.

Of the 6.85 MT paddy, the authorities are preparing to ensure that 4 MT is lifted by the rice-millers directly from the societies for milling. “Remaining 2.85 MT paddy would be stored in the 64 storage centres set up by the department across the state,” Mohile added.

Expecting a good arrival of paddy in the current kharif marketing season 2012-13, the state government had started necessary preparation. The paddy procurement, which Mohile claimed to be the biggest campaign for farmers to purchase each grain of their produce and pay them good price, would start from November 1. It would continue for three-and-a-half months.

The farmers selling A grade paddy would get Rs 1280 for a quintal as MSP while for the common grade, he would collect Rs 1250 for a quintal. The state government had set 1895 procurement centres under the 1333 primary agriculture societies established at the village level to facilitate farmers to sell their produce.

As part of the preparation, the department had issued circular to all the district collectors and heads of different agencies involved to ensure no irregularities were committed. The government had given clear instruction that no agency or committee other than the primary agriculture societies would be authorities to procure paddy.

Last year, the state government had procured paddy worth Rs 6566 crore. The officials expect that the amount would cross Rs 7000 crore this year.

Chhattisgarh is the third highest contributor to the central pool of rice after Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.