Hyderabad: All market yards and paddy procurement centres in the state have been kept on high alert as the meteorological department has predicted heavy rains for two days from May 11.
Last week’s rains had caused damages to 1.16 lakh metric tonnes of paddy since they had no tarpaulin or adequate means for transport to warehouses from the market yards.
Civil supplies commissi-oner Akun Sabharwal on Wednesday inspected market yards in Gajwel, Siddipet and Siricilla, and said the damaged paddy has been shifted to rice mills and farmers would be paid the Minimum Support Price for the damaged paddy.
Mr Sabharwal directed officials in market yards to take precautions to prevent food grains from exposure to the rains.
This year, the civil supplies department has set itself a target to procure 38 lakh metric tonnes of food grain for rabi season and deployed 3,008 procurement centres for the purpose. So far, it has procured 15.91 lakh metric tonnes worth Rs 2,526 crore from 2.36 lakh far-mers in 2,962 procurement centres. Of this, 15.01 lakh MT have already been shifted to rice mills for milling.
The Department had procured 7.64 lakh metric tonnes during the same period last year. This year, though procurement has doubled, the department has taken all steps to ensure MSP for farmers. The department estimated that it requires 9.79 crore gunny bags for procurement of 38 lakh metric tonnes this year. Of this, the department already kept 9.31 crore gunny bags ready.
