SAMBALPUR: The paddy procurement for kharif marketing season (KMS) began in the district on Wednesday. The procurement will start in Kuchinda and Rairakhol sub-divisions from November 23 and November 27 respectively.
Food and Civil Supplies Officer, Sambalpur, Pitambar Acharya said the State Government has set a tentative target to procure 2,55,882 tonnes of paddy during the KMS. Of the total 2,55,882 tonnes of paddy, Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation, MARKFED and Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation will procure 2,30,882 tonnes, 22,059 tonnes and 2,941 tonnes respectively. On the first day, about 44,894 bags of paddy have been procured, he informed.
Acharya said there is no restriction for procurement of paddy, which will come to market yards from registered farmers, even after achieving the set target. The minimum support price (MSP) of paddy declared by the Centre for KMS 2017-18 is `1,550 per quintal for common paddy and `1,590 per quintal for Grade-A, he added.
So far, about 37,000 farmers have registered themselves to take part in the KMS against participation of 36,405 in the last year. The paddy will be procured through 77 market yards and paddy purchase centres spread across nine blocks of the district.
Meanwhile, the Food and Civil Supplies department has debarred five rice mills of the district from the procurement process after huge stock of unaccounted paddy was found from their mills. The officials of Revenue and Civil Supplies departments had conducted raids on rice mills in Sambalpur and found about 20,000 bags of paddy hoarded in five rice mills on November 13.
Acharya said the verification of paddy stock is yet to be over, while the five rice mills will be issued show cause notices soon. Altogether, 51 rice millers in the district were supposed to take part in the procurement. At present, paddy will be procured through 46 millers after exclusion of five millers from the procurement process, he added.