Paddy procurement begins at Barnala grain market

Tribune News Service

Barnala, October 4

Barnala Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dharam Pal Gupta formally started the paddy procurement process at the local grain market on Thursday. A total of 43 tonnes of paddy had arrived at grain markets till October 3. Of it, 15 tonnes have been procured.

Gupta said 98 purchase centres had been set up across the district and it was estimated that 10,39,000 metric tonnes of paddy would be procured.

The DC said though the whole area under the paddy crop was not ready for harvesting in the district, several farmers had started reaping the crop.

He said, “The harvesting of the crop in the rest of the district will start within a week and agencies will speed up the procurement process with the arrival of the crop at the grain markets. Arrangements for gunny bags have been made and directions have been issued to procurement agencies to take adequate measures to avoid inconvenience to farmers.”

The Union Government has fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy at Rs1,770 per quintal.

The DC also directed officials of the Food and Civil Supply Department to follow the proper procurement process and ensure proper facilities at each grain market and purchase centre.

He also appealed to the farmers to harvest the crop on appropriate time as the moisture content should not exceed than 17 per cent.

He also urged the farmers not to set paddy stubble on fire.