Centre says will procure paddy, cotton worth Rs 175,000 crore in 2020-21

Minimum support price mechanism will remain, says agriculture secretary as farmer group reportedly rejects plea for meeting.

The government on Wednesday said it plans to purchase rice and cotton worth almost Rs 175,000 crore in the next few months, speaking out ahead of its proposed meeting with 31 Punjab farmer organisations protesting against new laws freeing up agriculture trade.

“Punjab along with Haryana, together contribute around 40 per cent of the rice and wheat procured for the Central pool,” agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal told reporters in a briefing attended by his counterparts from the ministry of food and consumer affairs, textiles and the Chairman of Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Agarwal reiterated the government’s statement that the