Paddy to be lifted from Telangana villages

Cabinet decides to set up 6,000 paddy procurement centres in villages

Hyderabad: The State Cabinet has taken yet another farmer-friendly decision to go the villages to procure paddy in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cabinet, which met here on Saturday and dwelt at length on the agriculture sector, took this decision to ensure that the farming fraternity is not put to any inconvenience during these Covid times. It also decided to set up 6,000 paddy procurement centres in villages to see that every grain of paddy is purchased while allowing procurement for any number of days. The Cabinet also urged farmers to sell paddy at village procurement centres.

The Ministers urged farmers not to panic and instead sell their produce from the comforts of their native village following the paddy procurement schedule announced by the authorities. They were also requested to ensure that paddy’s moisture content does not exceed 17 per cent and is husk-free.

The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, also discussed issues pertaining to maize cultivation in the State during the upcoming Yasangi season and expressed fears over the lack of MSP for the crop due to the Centre’s decisions to import maize by reducing the import duty from 50 per cent to 15 per cent. It also deplored the new Agricultural Act that allows any person to sell his produce anywhere in the country, and other decisions, which, in turn, could deprive MSP for the maize producers in the State.

Observing that farmers from Telangana traditionally cultivate maize, the Cabinet suggested them not to take any hasty decisions in this regard during the upcoming Yasangi (Rabi) season.

The Cabinet felt that the Centre’s policy on agriculture and farm produce were severely damaging the sector and expressed its agony over the maize crop not getting the MSP due to what it termed as ‘wrong policies’ of the Union government. It also expressed its ‘shock and dismay’ over the way the Centre allowed the import of maize despite the fact that the country had enough reserve stocks in the country. It also urged maize growers to be careful in following the adverse policies of the Centre and take a decision in this regard.

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