Telangana breaches paddy procurement target

Procures 82 lakh tonnes against a target of 80 lakh tonnes

Hyderabad: Surpassing its own targets, Telangana has recorded paddy purchases to the tune of 82 lakh tonnes against a target of 80 lakh tonnes during the Yasangi (Rabi) season. The State had already set a record by cultivating paddy in 52.76 lakh acres.

Speaking to the mediapersons here on Monday, Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Mareddy Srinivas Reddy said the State government had registered record paddy procurement, providing much-needed relief to farmers during the Covid-induced lockdown. He said Covid and the lockdown coupled with the shortage of lorries, drivers and Hamalies as well as inadequate milling capacity, the Civil Supplies Corporation had managed to procure 82 lakh tonnes of paddy, a deviation of nearly 20 lakh tonnes compared to the last Yasangi season.

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“We have purchased 82 lakh tonnes from 12.5 lakh farmers through 6,962 procurement centres in the State. The value of the purchases is estimated at Rs 16,000 crore. Of the total paddy purchased, about 78 lakh tonnes has been already shifted to rice mills for milling,” Srinivas Reddy said. He added that at least 3-4 lakh more tonnes of paddy is likely to be purchased before closing the centres for this season.

The corporation surpassed its procurement target in 19 districts, including Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Suryapet, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, Peddapally, Warangal Rural, Mancherial, Nirmal, Sangareddy, Narayanpet, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Jogulamba Gadwal, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, Rajanna-Sircilla, Siddipet, Medak and Jagitial. Officials have been advised to complete the paddy purchases in view of the monsoon and upload the details immediately besides releasing funds to farmers.