Paddy Procurement in Punjab and Haryana
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Punjab state agencies have successfully procured 120.67 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy out of the 126.67 LMT that arrived in Punjab’s mandis. The paddy is being purchased at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2320 per quintal for Grade ‘A’ paddy, benefiting around 6.58 lakh farmers with a total purchase amounting to Rs 27995 crore.
In Punjab, 4839 millers have applied for paddy shelling, and 4743 have been allotted work by the state government. The procurement for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 began on October 1, with 2927 mandis and temporary yards operational for smooth procurement.
The Central Government has set a target of 185 LMT for paddy procurement for KMS 2024-25, which will continue until November 30. The paddy lifting from mandis is progressing well, exceeding daily arrival quantities.
Both Punjab and Haryana, known as the Food Bowl of India, are expected to procure 185 LMT and 60 LMT of paddy, respectively, during KMS 2024-25. Despite delays due to heavy rainfall in September, both states are on track to meet procurement targets by November 30 for Punjab and November 15 for Haryana.
Doubts Revealed
Paddy Procurement -: Paddy procurement is the process of buying rice crops from farmers by the government or its agencies. This helps ensure that farmers get a fair price for their crops.
KMS 2024-25 -: KMS stands for Kharif Marketing Season, which is the period when crops like rice are harvested and sold. The 2024-25 season refers to the time frame from 2024 to 2025.
Food Corporation of India -: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is a government organization that helps manage food supply in India. It buys crops from farmers to ensure food security and fair prices.
LMT -: LMT stands for Lakh Metric Tonnes. It is a unit of measurement used to quantify large amounts of crops like rice.
MSP -: MSP stands for Minimum Support Price. It is the lowest price that the government promises to pay farmers for their crops to ensure they earn a fair income.
Mandis -: Mandis are marketplaces where farmers sell their crops. They are important for the buying and selling of agricultural products in India.
Central Government -: The Central Government refers to the national government of India, which makes decisions and policies for the entire country.
