₹1,700 crore paid to farmers as Ludhiana procures 7 LMT paddy

Government agencies had purchased 7,02,078 (MT) of this, of which 5,45,553 (MT) had been lifted from the mandis

Grain markets in the district have received 7.18 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy so far this season, of which government agencies have procured 7.02 lakh MT, while farmers have received payments worth ₹1,705.91 crore, according to the district administration.

Paddy procurement in progress at a grain market in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (HT)

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said total paddy arrivals in Ludhiana stood at 7,17,865 (MT) as of October 27. Government agencies had purchased 7,02,078 (MT) of this, of which 5,45,553 (MT) had been lifted from the mandis. The remaining 1,56,525 (MT) of procured paddy was yet to be transported out of the grain markets.

Jain said farmers should harvest paddy only after the crop had fully matured and bring dry produce to the mandis to ensure smooth procurement.

The Centre has fixed the maximum permissible moisture content for procurement at 17%. Farmers should ensure their produce meets this requirement to avoid difficulties during procurement, he said.

The minimum support price (MSP) for paddy for the current season has been fixed at ₹2,461 per quintal, Jain said, urging farmers to cooperate with the administration and follow the prescribed procurement guidelines. He also directed combine harvester operators to restrict harvesting operations to between 10 am and 6 pm and comply strictly with the prescribed timings.

The administration has urged both farmers and combine operators to follow the guidelines as procurement continues across the district.