Decision to start procurement of paddy from Oct 11 in ‘overall interest of farmers and consumers’: Centre

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 1

Amid protests over delay in procurement of paddy, the Centre on Friday said the decision to start the procurement of paddy under MSP from October 11 in Punjab and Haryana is in the “overall interest of farmers and consumers as well as to accept paddy stock as per FAQ”.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution has also requested the governments of Punjab and Haryana to advise their agencies to dry the paddy already arrived and further produce may be brought to the mandi after proper drying.

“Procurement of paddy at high moisture content is fraught with risk of increase in damage percentage of rice grain. The grain will become vulnerable to shriveling, blackening, discolouration and prone to infestation. This may lead to rejection at procurement centres and would lead to distress sale of paddy and consequent loss to the farmers,” officials said, adding that the Haryana government had also written to the Centre intimating about the untimely rain and requested for relaxation in moisture content in the paddy.

“The better course would be to harvest the paddy crop offered after a period of 10 days, that is after proper maturity then the problem of moisture in the paddy grain can be minimised. Accordingly, the governments of Punjab and Haryana have also been requested to advise their agencies to dry the paddy already arrived and further produce may be brought to the mandi after proper drying,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said a day after it announced that paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana will start from October 11.

According to officials, widespread untimely showers across Punjab and Haryana during the second fortnight of September have affected the standing paddy crop in both the agrarian states. The maximum temperature at most of the places has also been recorded below normal due to downpour.

“There was heavy downpour on September 29 and 30 in some parts of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Because of the untimely rains, maturity of paddy grains is delayed,” they said. Quoting the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said rainfall during September 2021 is 77% and 139% above normal in Punjab and Haryana, respectively.

“On the basis of moisture content check by FCI’s regional offices at Punjab and Haryana, it was reported that paddy samples are having moisture ranging from 18% to 22% in Punjab and 18.2% to 22.7% in Haryana against the permissible limit of 17%.

“Accordingly, to save farmers from inconvenience and to protect farmer’s interest, the Centre decided that procurement of paddy under MSP operation would commence from October 11 in Punjab and Haryana and advised all agencies to gear up for drying the paddy to help farmers,” they added.

Stating that procurement at high moisture content is fraught with risk of increase in damage percentage of rice grain, they said: “The better course would be to harvest the paddy crop offered after a period of 10 days, that is after proper maturity then the problem of moisture in the paddy grain can be minimised. Accordingly, state governments of Punjab and Haryana have also been requested to advise their agencies to dry the paddy already arrived and further produce may be brought to the mandi after proper drying.

“The decision to start the procurement of paddy under MSP from October 11 in Punjab and Haryana is in the overall interest of farmers and consumers as well as to accept paddy stock as per FAQ specifications to ensure quality procurement for millions of consumers under PDS of National Food Security Programme. However, moisture content is the main determining factor,” they added.