Paddy procurement till Jan 12 this kharif season up to 20.81 million tonnes from 15.74 million tonnes a year ago

NEW DELHI: Paddy procurement by the Food Corporation of India has seen an increase this year despite 2015 having been a monsoon deficit year.
The food ministry said in a press release that the total quantity of paddy procured in terms of rice till January 12 in the current kharif marketing season - which started on October 1, 2015 - was 20.81 million tonnes compared to 15.74 million tonnes a year ago.

The major increase in procurement of paddy has taken place in Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. In order to ensure that FCI has enough funds to pay to the farmers for procurement of paddy and to the state government agencies for the rice supplied, the government provided an additional funding of Rs 10,000 crore to the body this month, the ministry said.

The Centre has already released a food subsidy of Rs 87,000 crore to FCI during the current financial year and a 'ways and means' advance of Rs 20,000 crore during the current fiscal, the press release said.

The food ministry said that as on January 1, there is 23.79 million tonnes of issuable wheat stock and 12.69 million tonnes of rice under the central pool. FCI is also stepping up open market sale of wheat at reasonable rates to check inflation and also to provide supplies to the private flour mills and traders. This excess quantity of rice is expected to help in meeting any contingencies arising due to monsoon deficit or natural calamities in near future.