Government buys 5.73 lakh tons of paddy at minimum support price in last 8 days

New Delhi: The Centre on Sunday said about 5.73 lakh tonne of paddy worth Rs 1,082.46 crore has been purchased at the minimum support price (MSP) in the last eight days from key growing states like Punjab and Haryana. Besides paddy, cotton procurement has also begun from October 1. As on September 3, state-run Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured a cumulative quantity of 147 bales at Rs 40.80 lakh MSP value benefiting 29 farmers, it said.
"As on September 3, cumulative procurement of paddy in the 2020-21 kharif marketing season is 5,73,339 tonne," the Food Ministry said in a statement.

Paddy worth Rs 1,082.46 crore has been purchased at MSP from 41,084 farmers so far, it said.

Paddy procurement commenced from September 26 in Punjab and Haryana, while it started on September 28 in other states.

For the current year, the government has fixed the MSP of paddy (common grade) at Rs 1,868 per quintal, while that of A grade variety has been fixed at Rs 1,888 per quintal.

Unlike before, the government is releasing daily procurement data to send a message to farmers protesting against new farm laws that it has no intention of scrapping procurement at MSP.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana and several other states are protesting against the new farm laws, which they feel will lead to procurement in the hands of corporates and the end of MSP regime.