Immediate paddy procurement at MSP in Punjab, Haryana amid farm bill stir

The official reason given by Centre is that procurement had to start early in the wake of early arrival of the kharif crop in the two states

Amid the protest by farmers in Punjab and Haryana, the  Centre on Saturday announced commencement of paddy procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) with immediate effect in the two states.

The official reason given was that procurement had to start early in the wake of early arrival of the kharif crop in these two states.

Otherwise, paddy procurement for the 2020-21 kharif (summer) marketing season is scheduled to begin from October 1 in all the key growing states, a statement said.

"However, in view of early arrival of paddy in the 'mandies' of Haryana and Punjab, Government of India has approved the