JEYPORE: The district administration has decided to procure around 2.41 lakh quintals of ragi from farmers across Koraput during the ensuing kharif marketing season.
According to sources, farmers in 12 blocks under the Koraput and Jeypore subdivisions cultivated ragi in over nearly 72,000 hectares of land between May and July. A major portion of the millet crop has already been harvested.
Based on ground reports, the administration has planned ragi procurement from farmers in 12 blocks through 45 selected mandis. As many as 12,863 farmers have registered with different Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies (LAMPs) to sell their produce during the current kharif marketing season.
Procurement will be carried out by LAMPs and Farmer Producer Groups (FPGs) on behalf of the district administration. The process will commence on January 9 from Boipariguda block and will gradually cover all mandis across the district during January.
Koraput collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said that procurement agencies have been instructed to provide adequate facilities to farmers at the mandis. He added that the administration will ensure adherence to quality and quantity norms by installing CCTV cameras at procurement centres.
“Farmers are being encouraged with a better ragi price this kharif season compared to previous years. We hope for a bumper harvest and maximum procurement as per the target set for the district,” the collector said.
Koraput recorded a milestone in millet production last year. Two months ago, the FCI exported about 26,000 quintals of ragi from the district to AP.