A majority of the procurement centres proposed have been opened; transactions as per Covid protocols
Warangal: Paddy procurement for Yasangi 2020-21 is gaining momentum in the erstwhile Warangal district, with the opening of a majority of purchasing centres by IKP, PACS, Marketing Department, ODCMS and DCCB.
While 105 centres were proposed in Warangal Urban district expecting 2.13 lakh tonnes of paddy, 102 centres were opened and 38,620 tonnes was purchased. About Rs 12.87 crore was paid to farmers till May 9.
In Warangal Rural, 126 centres were opened against 175 centres proposed expecting 1.99 lakh tonnes of paddy. A total of 21,777 tonnes was purchased and Rs 2.69 crore paid to farmers till May 9.
Meanwhile, 126 centres were opened in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district to purchase around 1.22 lakh tonnes; however, only 3,229 tonnes was purchased and no amount paid to farmers. In Mahabubabad, officials expected the arrival of about 3 lakh tonnes and till May 9 procured 47,689 tonnes through 152 centres and paid Rs 18.91 crore to farmers. On the other hand, 194 centres were set up in Jangaon district expecting 2.86 lakh tonnes, and till May 9, a total of 50,921 tonnes was purchased while Rs 22.98 crore was paid to farmers.
In Mulugu district, about 8,201 tonnes was purchased through 135 centres against the expected paddy arrival of 1.30 lakh tonnes. However, no farmer was paid the money. Paddy procurement this season is slow compared to that of last Yasangi season (2019-20).
Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Gujjula Ramgopal of Vangapahad village near Warangal city said he had sold nearly 100 quintals of paddy at a paddy procurement centre at the village 10 days ago, but he is yet to receive the payment. According to Warangal Urban Collector Rajeev Gandhi Hanumanthu, the area under paddy cultivation in the district had increased by 9,500 acres compared to that in Vaanakalam.
Adilabad: Of the 472 centres identified for procuring paddy produced this Yasangi across the erstwhile Adilabad district, 278 centres are operational and 30,000 tonnes of paddy has been procured in Nirmal and Adilabad districts, according to information available with the Civil Supplies Department.
The government took a slew of steps to facilitate the purchase of paddy from farmers even as the State is battling the second phase of Covid-19. It arranged a sufficient number of procurement centres and gunny bags.
As per the data provided by the department, paddy was grown in 2,18,915 acres in erstwhile Adilabad district — Mancherial (1.10 lakh acres), Nirmal (90,000 acres) and Kumram Bheem Asifabad (15,600 acres). A total of 3,99,537 tonnes of paddy is expected to be procured through 472 centres this season.
Fine quality paddy with a moisture percentage of 17 is being paid Rs 1,888 per quintal, cheering the farmer community. Moreover, money is being directly credited to the bank accounts of farmers.
Farmers have expressed happiness over the arrangements made for the smooth procurement of paddy and the MSP offered by the government. “I sold 400 bags of paddy at a centre and received Rs 2.80 lakh in my bank account. I was initially tense over disposing of the produce but am satisfied now,” Karukuri Rajasekhar, a farmer from Hajipur, told ‘Telangana Today.’
Karimnagar: Despite the pandemic, paddy procurement has gathered steam in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. All necessary arrangements were made at purchasing centres, and transactions are being done as per Covid protocol.
Paddy cultivation went up phenomenally this Yasangi as all irrigation projects, tanks, ponds and other water bodies were filled with Kaleshwaram water. It was sown in 9.12 lakh acres in Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jagitial and Rajanna Sircilla districts, and 22.17 lakh tonnes of yield was expected. Officials have decided to procure 18 lakh tonnes through 1,306 centres, setting up one in every village for the convenience of farmers.
In Karimnagar, 1.36 lakh tonnes worth Rs 256.9 crore was procured from 19,563 farmers. Of the Rs 256.9 crore, a majority of the amount was paid to farmers. Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, District Agriculture Officer V Sreedhar said in the wake of the Covid outbreak, purchasing centres were established in every village. Instead of dumping paddy at the centres, farmers were asked to bring the crop when the moisture level reached 17 per cent. Stating that there is no delay in the payment, he said the amount is being deposited in the bank accounts of farmers within four to five days.
Kothagudem: Authorities procured 17,790 tonnes of paddy in Kothagudem district as on Monday and made payments to the tune of Rs 9.02 crore to farmers.
According to the Civil Supplies Corporation officials, as many as 151 centres have been opened. Of the 17,790 tonnes procured, 17,354.8 tonnes has been shifted to rice mills in Kothagudem (13,557 tonnes) and Warangal Rural (4,233 tonnes) districts. Of the Rs 33.39 crore payment to be made to farmers, Rs 9.02 crore was paid, an official said.
District Collector MV Reddy said paddy procurement is expected to be at its peak by May 15, and officials were directed to be prepared to meet the rush. Directions were issued to agriculture and revenue officials to take measures to protect paddy from unseasonal rains. Similarly, the officials, during a recent video conference, were told to make arrangements for shifting the paddy to rice mills immediately after procurement, the Collector added.
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