About 81.14 lakhs paddy farmers benefitted from KMS Procurement Operations

New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI): About 81.14 lakh paddy farmers have benefitted from Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) Procurement Operations with an MSP value of Rs 1,08054.40 crores, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution informed on Wednesday.

"Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring States & UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal with purchase of over 572.32 LMTs of paddy up to 19.01.2021. This is an increase of 23.70 per cent against last year corresponding purchase of 462.66 LMT. Out of the total purchase of 572.32 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 35.43 per cent of total procurement," an official statement issued by the ministry said.

The statement further said, "Based on the proposal from the States, approval was accorded for procurement of 51.66 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season 2020 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS)."

It further said that the sanction for procurement of 1.23 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and sanction for procurement of 2.50 LMT of Pulse and Oilseeds of Rabi Marketing Season 2020-2021 for the States of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, were 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 ministry said.

"Up to January 19, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 298034.22 MT of Moong, Urad, Toor, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean having MSP value of Rs.1619.93 Crores benefitting 159929 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan," it said.

"Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka. Till January 19 a quantity of 8578068 cotton bales valuing Rs. 25061.16 Crore has been procured benefitting 1758927 farmers," the ministry added. (ANI)