Farmers disbursed Rs 7.97 crore for paddy procurement: DC
The arrival and procurement of paddy in the mandis of the district has picked up pace with 16,653 metric tonnes of paddy arriving in the grain markets last evening. Government procurement agencies and commission agents too have actively started participating in the lifting process.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said that procurement agencies have been asked to ensure disbursal of payment to the farmers in lieu of their paddy within 48 hours of the grain being lifted. She said that the agencies have so far disbursed Rs 7.97 crore to the farmers.
Apart from paddy varieties, a total of 2.74 lakh MT of basmati has also arrived in the markets. District officials stated that private traders purchasing basmati have been instructed to ensure timely lifting of their stocks as more space would be required in the grain markets as paddy harvesting picks up pace.
The Deputy Commissioner stated that farmers should bring produce which has moisture within the permissible limit so that it could be procured the same day. She added that the government has fixed 17 per cent as the upper limit for moisture beyond which procurement agencies would not procure paddy.
The Deputy Commissioner stated that basmati is being purchased by private agencies, whereas Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, Food Corporation of India and Punjab State Warehousing Corporation are purchasing non-basmati varieties of paddy.
She assured that farmers will not face any inconvenience in the mandis. To prevent the piling up of paddy in the mandis, it is essential that farmers bring dry crop, the DC said and directed the mandi officials to inspect paddy at the entry gate itself and not allow crop with more than 17 per cent moisture content into the mandis.
