KARIMNAGAR: Indicating a good sign in the new state, Karimnagar district has now emerged as the rice bowl of Telangana, with an expected record paddy production for the second consecutive year this rabi season (2013-14).
The district has broken its own record in this rabi season by procuring about 6,16,751 tonnes of paddy through government agencies like market committees, IKP, primary and tribal cooperative societies at minimum support price of Rs 1,345 for Grade-A variety and Rs ,310 for command variety.
With this record level procurement the district has re-written its own history in the paddy procurement stream. In 2010-11 rabi season, the district had procured about 6,08,559 tonne, joint collector Sarfaraz Ahmed revealed to this paper.
Paddy procurement is still going on and we are expecting about 20,000 tonne may procured from farmers, he said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture authorities said the increase in the paddy cultivation was because of availability water through SRSP canal and sufficient ground water in the wells and local water bodies, thanks to good rains reported in the last rainy season.
In the rabi season, about 2,06,350 hectares of paddy crop was cultivated. As many as 623 paddy purchasing centres including IKP were set up in the district and paid Rs 829.35 crore to the farmers.
Ray of hope
■ 2,06,350 hectares of paddy crop cultivated this season
■ minimum support price for for Grade-A variety was Rs 1,345
■ Dist admn expects to procure 20,000 tonnes from farmers
■ 623 paddy purchasing centres including IKP set up in dist