Over 700 new decentralised procurement centres in Andhra to support farmers amid lockdown

Over 700 new decentralised procurement centres set up in Andhra Pradesh to support farmers amid lockdown will begin operation on Saturday.

The state government has come up with an innovative and decentralised procurement plan to support farmers in the state during the lockdown period.

These centres, set up near farmlands, are aimed to assist the government in eliminating the chances of distress selling and farmers to travel shorter distances from their farms which, in turn, will help authorities to execute the lockdown and social distancing norms.

Speaking about the same, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Marketing and Cooperation, Pradyumna (IAS) said, "The new and decentralised procurement procedure not only helps the farmers sell their crop but also helps authorities implement lockdown and social distancing norms on ground as the centres are located near to the farmlands across the state."

Through these centres, a total of five crops -- maize, jowar, Bengal gram, red gram and turmeric will be procured.