The bonus for fine varieties rose to Rs 197.73 crore, from Rs 43.02 crore last year, Uttam Kumar said at a meeting along with agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao to reviewed the progress of procurement with district collectors and civil supplies officials through a video conference.
Hyderabad: Telangana has procured 8.54 LMT of paddy so far this Kharif season, more than twice the 3.94 LMT at the same time last year, said civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. Of this, 3.95 LMT was fine rice (sanna biyyam) and 4.59 LMT was the common (doddu) variety.
Farmer participation doubled to 1,21,960, compared with 55,493 last year. The MSP value of paddy stood at Rs 2,041.44 crore, up from Rs 915.05 crore, with Rs 832.90 crore already paid. The remaining Rs 1,208.54 crore will be cleared via the OPMS within 48 hours.
The bonus for fine varieties rose to Rs 197.73 crore, from Rs 43.02 crore last year, Uttam Kumar said at a meeting along with agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao to reviewed the progress of procurement with district collectors and civil supplies officials through a video conference.
Uttam Kumar Reddy directed district collectors to ensure timely payments, adequate storage and swift transport. “Procurement must run smoothly. Every farmer should be paid on time,” he said. He warned officials to stay alert to adverse weather. “Farmers have just recovered from the Montha cyclone; no losses should occur due to rain or delay,” he said.
He said Telangana had set an unprecedented record in both paddy production and procurement. “For the first time in India, a state government has decided to purchase 80 lakh tonnes of paddy in a single Kharif season. This achievement reflects the strength of Telangana’s agricultural ecosystem and the commitment of our government to farmers,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials to ensure prompt payments, adequate storage and transportation, and continuous field supervision by collectors. “Procurement is a sensitive process that must run smoothly from purchase to payment. Every grain must be safeguarded, and every farmer must be paid on time,” he said.
Agriculture minister Nageswara Rao reviewed cotton, maize and soybean procurement, terming November the crucial collection month. He said raising the maize purchase limit from 18.5 to 25 quintals per acre.
