BARGARH: Paddy procurement for the ongoing rabi season is going on at a slower pace in the district compared to previous years owing to delay in harvesting of the crop. Assistant Civil Supplies officer Durga Charan Basera said 16.78 lakh quintal paddy has been procured from around 22,000 farmers till May 23 in the district. Payment of around Rs 145 crore has already been made to the farmers.
However, the procurement process is slower than previous years as it directly linked with harvesting of paddy. The Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare (FS & CW) department has set a target to procure 39 lakh quintal paddy in the first phase during the current rabi season in the district.
A total of 56 lakh quintal paddy was procured from the district during the last rabi season, he said. As many as 73,215 farmers have registered online to participate in the procurement process which is being done through 124 market yards and paddy purchase centres across the district.