Sambalpur: Kharif paddy procurement from farmers in the state will begin from November 1, informed Food Supplies Minister Surya Narayan Patro today in a meeting organised at the conference hall of Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northern Division. The paddy procurement will start from Kalahandi district and later it will be done in Bargarh on November 7.
District collectors and district supply officers of 12 districts, including the districts under the RDC Northern Division, were present in the meeting. Discussions were held on how to systemize the paddy procurement process and how the farmers will be paid their dues on time.
"After the paddy reaches the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) it will intimate Odisha Central Cooperative Bank about it. Within 24 hours the paddy will reach the mills and in another 24 hours the payment of farmers will be disbursed to their accounts," said Patro.
Earlier on October 26, Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi at the state-level paddy procurement committee meeting had informed that the Odisha government will procure 53 lakh quintal paddy this year. The government has plans to procure 44 lakh quintal paddy during Kharif and 9 lakh quintal paddy during Rabi seasons respectively.
The purchase outlets will be opened across the state by November and paddy procurement would continue till April, 2018. Paddy will be procured from farmers through 2576 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) while 1436 millers will participate in the process. Those millers, who have not delivered 100 per cent of rice to government, have been barred from this process.
To participate in the process farmers have to provide plot details along with Aadhaar number. So far over 10 lakh farmers have registered with the government for the procurement process, including the sharecroppers.