BHUBANESWAR: The state government has shot past its target of paddy procurement by six lakh tonne during the 2022-23 kharif marketing season (KMS). The government set a target to procure 71 lakh tonne of paddy (equivalent to 48 lakh tonne of rice) for the season. While the target for procurement of kharif paddy was 57 lakh tonne and 14 lakh tonne for rabi, the state has procured 63.21 lakh tonne by the end of March 31.
The estimated value of the paddy procured by the government under decentralised procurement system is to the tune of Rs 12,895 crore. The amount have been released directly to the accounts of over 1.42 lakh farmers. The government which procured paddy through primary agriculture cooperative societies, pani panchayats and women self-help groups had purchased 57.24 lakh tonne from over 1.29 lakh farmers at a cost of Rs 11,219.42 crore during the same period last year.
“With the Agriculture department predicting a good rabi paddy harvest, we expect the state may cross its target of 71 lakh tonne,” said a senior officer of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department. With Odisha experiencing good unseasonal rains, this will help standing rabi paddy which is limited to some districts having irrigation facilities.
Procurement of rabi paddy will start from May 1 and continue till June 30. The KMS 2022-23 commenced from October 1, 2022 and will end on September 30, 2023. Odisha is the fifth-highest producer of kharif paddy and is very close to Uttar Pradesh (65.5 lakh tonne) and Telangana (64.92 lakh tonne).
In this procurement season, the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation made a market borrowing of Rs 24,400 crore for the purchase of paddy under the minimum support price system. The state government has paid Rs 6,200 crore interest, sources in the state PSU said.
Bounty harvest
Odisha has procured 63.21 lakh tonne by end of March 31
The estimated value of paddy procured is to the tune of Rs 12,895 crore