Centre agrees to start paddy procurement from Sep 24

The Haryana government today said the Centre has accepted its request to start paddy procurement from today instead of October 1 and also to permit procurement of 'PB 1509' variety of paddy.
Following this decision, the procurement of paddy has started today in Haryana grain markets and will continue up to December 15, 2015, an official release said.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar thanked the Union Government "for yet another initiative in the interest of farming community by agreeing to these two proposals the latter of which is a first in the country."
Five procuring agencies, Food and Supplies Department, HAFED, Food Corporation of India (FCI), Haryana Agro Industries Corporation and Haryana Warehousing Corporation have been given the share of procurement in the ratio of 33, 35, 12, 9 and 11 per cent respectively.

FCI will procure paddy from October 1. Till then, the mandis allotted to FCI, jointly or exclusive, the purchase will be made by state procuring agencies beginning today.
During the current season, paddy of common variety would be procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1410 per quintal and Grade-A at MSP of Rs 1450 per quintal.

Arrival of about 36 lakh metric tonnes of leviable paddy is estimated in 'mandis' and purchase centres of the state during current season which would be procured by state agencies on MSP, it said.
The procurement of Bajra will be made from October 15 to November 30 in the state. The bajra would be procured at MSP of Rs 1275 per quintal.

All elaborative arrangements have been made to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices of their produce, it said.