Govt procures paddy worth Rs 1.06 lakh cr so far this kharif season

The government has procured 25 per cent more paddy so far in this kharif marketing season at 564.17 lakh tonnes for Rs 1,06,516 crore amid farmers protest against three new farm laws. In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season KMS 2020-21, government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at MSP from farmers as per existing MSP schemes, an official statement said.

The government has procured 25 per cent more paddy so far in this kharif marketing season at 564.17 lakh tonnes for Rs 1,06,516 crore amid farmers' protest against three new farm laws. Kharif marketing season runs from October. ''In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at MSP from farmers as per existing MSP schemes,'' an official statement said. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has procured 564.17 lakh tonnes of paddy till January 16, an increase of 25.25 per cent from 450.42 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. ''About 79.24 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 1,06,516.31 crore,'' the statement said.

Out of the total purchase of 564.17 lakh tonnes, Punjab has contributed 202.77 lakh tonnes. Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various Delhi borders, seeking repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP). The government is maintaining that the MSP procurement system will continue.

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