NABARANGPUR: Different Government agencies kicked off paddy procurement process at 47 designated mandis in Nabarangpur district. The process, which began on Friday, saw farmers queuing up near the mandis at Jharigam, Jagannathpur, Chandahandi and Raighar to sell their produce.
At Sanmashigam village under Nabarangpur block, Sub-Collector Gavali Parag Harshad inaugurated the paddy procurement process and stressed the need for coordination between administration, farmers and milling agents.
A farmer Jhadeswar Khadanga urged the Government to increase the procurement target citing that the district produced more quantity of paddy than the target set by the Government.
The procurement target for rice has been fixed at 43,000 MT by the State Government for which 64,179 MT of paddy will be purchased from farmers. Of this, Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation (OSCSC) will purchase 59,701 MT and Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation (TDCC) would purchase 4,478 MT paddy.
The MSP for fair average quality (FAQ) paddy has been fixed at `1,410 per quintal.
To ensure trouble-free transportation for the farmers, mandis have been opened at places which have connectivity with all the surrounding gram panchayats. The payments would be made in shape of cheques. With P-Pass system being made available in seven blocks of Nabarangpur, Kosagumuda, Nandahandi, Jharigam, Umerkote, Raighar and Chandahandi, money will be transferred to farmer’s bank account immediately after purchase of paddy.
About 70 millers were entrusted with milling of paddy and delivery of rice for 2014-15. Of them, 50 millers have 100 per cent rice delivery record while the remaining millers have been asked to clear the balance rice by the end of next month.