Vijayawada: The state government launched paddy procurement in all 13 districts on Monday. With an ambitious target of procuring 50 lakh tonnes for the current market season, the state government will be opening 6,884 procurement centres across the state. The government has already issued orders to the district administrations on paddy procurement.
The government has instructed the AP State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) to carry out procurement in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts while leaving the task in the rest of the 10 districts to the AP Civil Supplies Corporation. The Primary Agriculture Marketing Societies (PACS) and the District Cooperative Marketing Societies (DCMS) have been made agencies to assist the farmers and the procurement agencies. The two agencies would also shoulder responsibility of making payments to the farmers while the respective district collectors would monitor both procurement and payment. The government has also directed the collectors to ensure that the farmers are paid within 21 days from date of procurement.
The state government has also fixed the minimum support price at Rs 1,960 a quintal for fine quality and Rs 1,940 a quintal for ordinary quality. The staff of the 6,884 paddy procurement centres have already been directed to take care of collecting paddy from the farmers, besides supply of gunny bags and transportation to the procurement agency. The staff were appointed temporarily only to assist both the farmers and the procurement agency for a period of three months. The district joint collectors, Markfed and the Civil Supplies Corporation have together made these appointments on contract basis and have given training on their responsibilities.
The government has categorised the paddy procurement centres into three with those procuring more than 2,000 quintals of paddy as Grade A, those procuring between 1,000 quintals and 2,000 quintals as Grade B and those procuring less than 1,000 quintals as Grade C centres. The staff of the centres are trained in identifying the quality of paddy, measuring the moisture and finally fixing the price.
The government has established 631 Grade A centres, 1,128 Grade B centres and 5,125 Grade Centres for this season with 17,917 temporary staff attached to the paddy procurement centres.
The government has instructed the AP State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) to carry out procurement in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts while leaving the task in the rest of the 10 districts to the AP Civil Supplies Corporation. The Primary Agriculture Marketing Societies (PACS) and the District Cooperative Marketing Societies (DCMS) have been made agencies to assist the farmers and the procurement agencies. The two agencies would also shoulder responsibility of making payments to the farmers while the respective district collectors would monitor both procurement and payment. The government has also directed the collectors to ensure that the farmers are paid within 21 days from date of procurement.
The state government has also fixed the minimum support price at Rs 1,960 a quintal for fine quality and Rs 1,940 a quintal for ordinary quality. The staff of the 6,884 paddy procurement centres have already been directed to take care of collecting paddy from the farmers, besides supply of gunny bags and transportation to the procurement agency. The staff were appointed temporarily only to assist both the farmers and the procurement agency for a period of three months. The district joint collectors, Markfed and the Civil Supplies Corporation have together made these appointments on contract basis and have given training on their responsibilities.
The government has categorised the paddy procurement centres into three with those procuring more than 2,000 quintals of paddy as Grade A, those procuring between 1,000 quintals and 2,000 quintals as Grade B and those procuring less than 1,000 quintals as Grade C centres. The staff of the centres are trained in identifying the quality of paddy, measuring the moisture and finally fixing the price.
The government has established 631 Grade A centres, 1,128 Grade B centres and 5,125 Grade Centres for this season with 17,917 temporary staff attached to the paddy procurement centres.
