SAMBALPUR: Rabi paddy procurement in Sambalpur district will commence from May 14. This was decided at the district-level procurement committee (DLPC) meeting held under the chairmanship of Sambalpur collector Siddeshwar Baliram Bondar on Tuesday.
The meeting was convened in the conference hall of the collector’s office to finalise arrangements for a smooth and transparent procurement process for the current rabi season.
This year, 58 paddy procurement centres will be made operational across the district. Procurement will be carried out by 32 primary agricultural cooperative societies/large area multipurpose cooperative societies besides 10 women self-help groups. A total of 46 custom millers will support the processing and transportation of the procured paddy.
At least 16,504 farmers have registered to participate in the procurement process this season. Of them, 16,490 have already been verified and are eligible to sell their produce. The minimum support price (MSP) has been fixed at Rs 2,300 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2,320 per quintal for Grade ‘A’ paddy.
Along with the additional input subsidy, farmers will receive Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy. The district administration has assured that payments will be directly credited to the farmers’ bank accounts within 24 to 48 hours after procurement.
To address summer and pre-monsoon challenges, all procurement centres will have adequate arrangements including tarpaulins, shaded rest areas, drinking water facilities, lighting and toilets. The mandis will also be equipped with digital moisture meters, weigh bridges, analysis kits and CCTV cameras.
Among others, MLAs of Rairakhol, Sambalpur, Kuchinda and Rengali, Zilla Parishad chairperson Kumudini Naik, in-charge chief civil supplies officer Birendra Soreng, millers and some representatives of farmers were present.