Paddy procurement in Himachal touches 20,993 MT, surpassing 2022's purchase

Paddy procurement in Himachal Pradesh has surpassed last year's purchase to touch 20,993 metric tonnes this year, officials said on Saturday.

In comparison to the purchase of 14,000 metric tonnes of paddy last year (2022), about 20,993 metric tonnes of paddy has been purchased from 3,663 farmers in 14 markets established across the state in the current year (2023), the officials said.

This year a target to procure 22 thousand metric tonnes of paddy has been set and so far farmers of the state have sold 20,993 metric tonnes of paddy worth Rs 45 crore to the government, informed Joint Director State Civil and Food Supply Corporation Ravindra Thakur.

He informed that against the target of purchasing 6,250 metric tonnes (62,500 quintals) in Sirmaur district, the State Civil Supplies Corporation has already purchased about 9,000 metric tonnes.

In 2022, crops across the state were ruined due to the southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) and several farmers had to destroy their crops by running tractors on them.

SRBSDV, also known as dwarf disease, had damaged crops in Sirmaur district. Only 2,000 metric tons of the crops were produced in Sirmaur district.

This time, due to good rains and avoidance of the effects of the virus, there has been a record production of the crop.

Notably, the State Civil and Food Supplies Department is purchasing paddy this time. Earlier, the purchase was done by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The procurement started in the state from October 3 and is still going on.

The support price for A-grade variety of paddy at Rs 2,203 per quintal and for normal paddy at Rs 2,183 per quintal.