Paddy procurement at 2.8 mn tonnes in 2010-11 Kharif season

The paddy procurement in Orissa has been to the tune of 2.8 million tonnes in the kharif season of 2010-11.

Of the total procurement of 2.8 million tonnes, the state food supplies department has procured 2.4 million tonnes, Markfed (135,000 tonnes), Nafed (150,000 tonnes), Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation- TDCC (38,000 tonnes) and Food Corporation of India-FCI (9000 tonnes).

Chief Secretary B K Patnaik said, "The rice procurement in the kharif season of 2010-11 has been around 24 lakh tonnes. There is likely to be a shortfall of two lakh tonnes in rice procurement but we hope that a good procurement during the Rabi season will hep to tide over this deficit?

The state government had set a paddy procurement target of 3.15 million tonnes in 2010-11, including the kharif and rabi season. During the current Rabi season, the paddy procurement is expected to be in the range of 600,000-700,000 tonnes.

The Chief Secretary on last Friday reviewed the status of paddy procurement. It may be noted that there are 2716 paddy procurement centres spread across the state.