Process initiated to procure locally grown paddy under MSP scheme in Udupi district

Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao chairing a district task force meeting on setting up paddy procurement centres in Udupi on Tuesday. 
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao on Tuesday asked officials concerned to open paddy procurement registration centres across the district by November 21 and launch the registration process for the current kharif season’s minimum support price scheme.

Chairing the district task force committee meeting at the district office complex in Rajatadri-Manipal, Udupi district, Mr. Rao said 10 such centres should be opened at places convenient to farmers. Later, procurement centres should be opened at seven places. The government has announced MSP for locally grown paddy variants — Kaje, Jaya, Jyothi, Panchamukhi, Sahyadri, Usha, Abhilasha and MO4.

As such, the MSP for common paddy was fixed at ₹2,540 per quintal, he said, adding if the demand was more, additional registration and procurement centres would be opened. Mr. Rao also directed the Agriculture Department to deploy graders to examine the quality of procured paddy and make arrangements for proper storage of procured paddy.

Registration of farmers in The Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System (Fruits software) was mandatory to sell paddy under MSP. While those who have already registered may sell their produce directly, those who have not, should register first. Farmers should provide their Aadhaar-linked bank account details while selling the produce as the sale proceeds would directly be credited to their bank accounts, the Deputy Commissioner said.

Mr. Rao asked officials concerned to disseminate information about buying paddy under MSP among farmers and farmer leaders through Raitha Samparka Kendras. Details about registration and procurement centres should be properly informed to all.

Food and Civil Supplies Department, Agriculture Department, State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation and Agriculture Producing Marketing Committees should work in tandem to make the scheme a success and help farmers, the Deputy Commissioner said.

Mill owners, who were present at the meeting, promised to render all cooperation for the hulling of procured paddy and producing boiled rice in their units.

Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Vice-Chairperson Kiran Kodgi, Food and Civil Supplies Deputy Director Mohammed Issaq, Agriculture Department Deputy Director Kempe Gowda and others were present.