Procured, lifted 100% paddy crop in dist: Jalandhar adm

The district administration, on Sunday, claimed it has procured and lifted 100% paddy from the district for season 2019-20.

During the kharif marketing season 2018-19, procurement agencies had procured 9,86,675 metric ton (MT) paddy. This year, till November 23, agencies have procured 9,85,553 MT of paddy, and in coming days the procured figure will likely touch 10 lakh MT of paddy.

Of the 9.85 lakh MT paddy procured from the grain markets across the district, around 9.76 lakh MT paddy purchased till November 21 has been lifted from the markets, the officials said.

Along with on-spot procurement of the grain, the administration also laid thrust on timely payment to farmers and lifting the grain within 48 hours. So far, payments worth Rs1741.161 crore have been made to farmers for their produce.

The district administration has around 78 mandis/centers for the procurement of paddy in the district. Procurement agencies were to lift the grain, as per directions of state government, which had set November 30 as the end of kharif season instead of the usual December 15.

Deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said agencies have been directed to ensure prompt payment to farmers and ensure that they lift the grain within 48 hours of procurement, due to which 100% procurement and lifting of grain has been accompalished.