Our Correspondent / New Delhi
The Government today said that Kharif marketing season 2020-21 has started early this year and it began from 26th of September.
Briefing media, Secretary Food and Public Distribution, Sudhanshu Pandey said procurement of paddy so far is 23 per cent more than procurement in the corresponding period last year.
He said, this year the total procurement of paddy is estimated to be 738 lakh metric tonnes against the total procurement of 627 lakh metric tonnes during last year.
Mr Pandey said, 39 thousand 130 procurement centres have been opened this year to facilitate farmers.
He said, 1.40 lakh crore rupees are expected to be transferred to farmers, which is an increase of nearly 21 per cent during this Kharif marketing season as compared to last year.
Agriculture Secretary, Sanjay Agarwal informed that a record 1095 lakh hectare area were brought under Kharif crops coverage this year which is 10 lakh hectare more than the last year.
He said, sowing of pulses is higher by nearly 7 lakh hectare oilseeds by 18 lakh hectare and rice by 4 lakh hectare than the normal area coverage under Kharf crops.
He said, the government is increasing the Minimum Support Price of crops including wheat and paddy every year as per the recommendations of the CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices).
Chairman Food Corporation of India, FCI D V Prasad informed that FCI and State agencies are fully prepared for paddy procurement operations.
Mr Prasad, this year’s paddy procurement target is 497 lakh metric tonnes which is 18 per cent growth over last year’s procurement.
He said, over one crore 56 lakh farmers are expected to be benefitted with this operation.
Textiles Secretary Ravi Capoor said a record procurement of 105 lakh bales of cotton valuing 28 thousand 500 crore rupees was made during 2019-20.
Around 11 lakh bales of cotton valuing around 3000 crore rupees was made during 2018-19.
He also informed that during COVID period, procurement of cotton bales worth nealry 5600 crore rupees was made which is double than the total procurement made during last year.