HYDERABAD: The state government, after announcing its decision to pay Rs 500 per quintal as bonus to farmers who produce superfine variety of paddy, had decided to allocate Rs 2.500 crore funds for the purpose.
The state Cabinet gave nod for allocation of Rs 2,500 crore to fulfil another pre-poll promise made by the Congress on providing bonus to those who produce superfine variety of paddy from Kharif season 2024-25.
As per the government’s estimates, farmers are likely to receive around Rs 10,000 per acre besides the minimum support price (MSP).
The Rs 2,500 crore allocation is in addition to the Budget allocation made for buying paddy through the government procurement centres.
As per the studies conducted by the government institutions like Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR), farmers produce an average of 20 quintals of paddy per acre.
Based on these findings, the state government came to a conclusion that farmers would receive Rs 10,000 per acre as bonus.
The state government expects that a total of 154 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy would be produced in the state this Kharif season. Of this, 80 LMT will go to the government procurement centres. The government estimates that, of the 80 LMT of paddy, which would come to procurement centres, 50 LMT would be of superfine variety.
The superfine rice required for distribution through ration shops and the government hostels is 36 LMT. By distributing the superfine rice to poor people through ration shops, the government is expecting better utilisation of the rice by the consumers. Currently, this rice is finding its way into black market.