Union government procures 318 LMT paddy till Nov 30

New Delhi [India], December 2 (ANI): The union government on Tuesday said in the current year's Kharif season, purchase of over 318 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been done upto November 30, 2020 which is an increase of 18.58 per cent over the last year.
The government further said that Punjab alone has contributed 63.76 per cent of the total procurement amounting to 202.77 lakh metric tonnes.
"Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring states and UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra with purchase of over 318 LMT of paddy up to November 30, 2020 against the last year corresponding purchase of 268.15 LMT showing an increase of 18.58 per cent over last year. Out of the total purchase of 318 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 63.76 per cent of total procurement," the ministry of agriculture said in a press release.
"About 29.70 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing Kharif procurement operations with Minimum Support Price (MSP) value of Rs 60,038.68 crore," it added.
The government further stated that based on the proposal from the states, approval was accorded for procurement of 45.24 LMT of pulses and oilseeds of Kharif season for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
Further, sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of copra (perennial crop) for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala was also given.
For other states/UTs, approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for the procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra under PSS so that procurement of FAQ grade of these crops can be made at notified MSP for the year 2020-21 directly from the registered farmers, if the market rate goes below MSP during the notified harvesting period in the respective states/UTs by the central nodal agencies through state nominated procuring agencies, the government said.
The government informed that up to November 30, it has procured through its nodal agencies 104546.68 MT of moong, urad, groundnut pods and soyabean having MSP value of Rs 563.43 crores benefitting 60,107 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Similarly, 5,089 MT of copra having MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3,961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu up to November 30, 2020 as against the last year corresponding purchase of 293.34 MT of copra.
The government further said: "In respect of copra and urad, rates are ruling above MSP in most of the major producing states. The respective state/UT governments are making necessary arrangements for the commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective states based on the arrivals in respect of Kharif pulses and oilseeds."
Further, till November 30, 2020 a quantity of 29,09,242 cotton bales valuing Rs 8515.53 crore has been procured benefitting 5,81,449 farmers. (ANI)