BHUBANESWAR: Amid complaint of distress sale of paddy by farmers of several coastal districts including Balasore, the state government on Monday directed its agency to step up procurement.
As procurement of Rabi paddy will come to an end on June 30, Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain asked the primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) to ensure that surplus paddy of farmers coming to market yards are purchased and they are paid the minimum support price announced by the government.
The Minister who reviewed the procurement of Rabi paddy at a high-level meeting here said over 12.42 lakh tonnes of paddy has been purchased from farmers against a target of 13.32 lakh tonnes.
This is 93 per cent of the target.
The paddy procurement during the corresponding period last year was 10.16 lakh tonne against the target of 11.64 lakh tonnes.
Reports reaching from Balasore district said farmers of Baliapal, Basta, Bhograi and Sadar blocks resorted to distress sale of their surplus paddy as the district administration failed to open adequate procurement centres.
With unseasonal rains causing damage to rabi paddy in several areas, farmers have urged the government for relaxation of FAQ (fair average quality) norms.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera, Rural Development Minister Sushanta Singh, Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra, Handlooms and Textile Minister Padmini Dian, several BJD MLAs and senior officers of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare and Cooperation departments.