Raipur: In Chhattisgarh, paddy procurement at support price has started from November 1. The procurement phase is going on but farmers are very worried due to non-uptake of paddy. Due to lack of uptake, farmers are not able to sell their paddy.
About 540 farmers from 13 villages are registered in the Naxal-affected Peedhapal area of Kanker. Out of which till now only 133 farmers have been able to sell their produce. Still 407 farmers are deprived of selling paddy. The target of procurement has been kept at 23 thousand quintals. But only 6 thousand quintals of paddy could be purchased in this procurement centre. Now there is no space left to store paddy. If this situation continues and paddy is not lifted, many farmers will be deprived of selling the produce of their hard work.
Chhattisgarh, known as the “Rice Bowl of India,” is a major producer of paddy. The state government plays a crucial role in ensuring fair prices for farmers by implementing a minimum support price (MSP) for paddy procurement. This system helps to stabilize market prices and protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen.
The current Kharif season’s paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh commenced on November 1, 2023. The state government has approved the procurement of 20 quintals of paddy per acre from registered farmers. This is an increase from the previous year’s 15 quintals per acre, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting farmers.
The current procurement price for paddy per quintal is Rs. 2,640. However, both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have made promises to increase the MSP further if they come to power in the upcoming state elections. The Congress has pledged to hike the price to Rs. 3,200, while the BJP has promised an increase to Rs. 3,100.
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