Over 25.50 lakh tonnes paddy procured in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: About 25.56 lakh tonnes paddy has been procured from the farmers so far during the current kharif season in Chhattisgarh under the Support Price scheme.

"A total of 25,55,756 tonnes paddy has been procured till yesterday at cooperatives societies across the state in 2015-16 Kharif year," a State Cooperative Marketing Federation official said today.

As many as 1,976 procurement centres under the 1,287 primary agricultural cooperative societies have been set up for the process, which was started from the November 16 till January 31, he said.

As per the statistics, highest procurement of 3,22,805 tonnes was recorded in Mahasamund district followed by Raipur (2.58 lakh tonnes), Balodabazar-Bhatapara (2.55 lakh tonnes), Janjgir-Chmpa (1.96 lakh tonnes) and Bemetara (1.96 lakh tonnes), he said.

High procurement was also recorded in Rajnandgaon, Durg, Dhamtari, Balod, Raigarh and Bilaspur districts.

The government had fixed the MSP of common variety paddy at Rs 1,410 and grade A variety grain at Rs 1,450 per quintal, he said.