07 October 2020, Chandigarh, IN:Haryana government has taken an important step in the interest of farmers by increasing the number of mandis for the procurement of paddy, bajra and maize this Kharif season crops. The farmers are satisfied with the arrangements made to sell their crops near their fields.
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Dushyant Chautala, who also has the portfolio Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, in a statement issued to the press here today, said that the state government has started the procurement of paddy, cotton, bajra and moong crops this time. The procurement of bajra was started from September 27, 2020 while the procurement of paddy, moong and maize was started from October 1, 2020, he added. He said that while 196 mandis were set up last year for the paddy procurement, however, this time 198 mandis have been set up. Apart from these, last time 58 mandis were set up for bajra, 17 mandis for maize, while this time 128 and 19 mandis have been set up respectively.
Deputy Chief Minister said that cotton is being procured through the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a Government of India undertaking, Paddy is being procured by Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Bajra by Haryana Warehousing Corporation and HAFED, Maize by HAFED while and Moong crop is being procured by Haryana Warehousing Corporation and HAFED.
Payment within 72 hours
Deputy Chief Minister further said that to ensure the timely payment of the crops to the farmers, this time the state government has decided that the payment of the procured agricultural produce should be made within 72 hours. This amount will also be transferred as per the wishes of the farmers, whether the farmers take the payment of their crops through arthiyas or directly in their bank account, the state government will transfer it accordingly, he added.
Mr. Dushyant Chautala said that the state government has taken numerous public welfare measures during the last one year, including increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for farmers’ crops. He said that while the MSP of the paddy varieties was from Rs 1,815 to Rs 1,835 per quintal during the year 2019-20, however, this time it has been increased from Rs 1,868 to Rs 1,888 per quintal for the year 2020-21.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said that last year the official price of bajra crop was Rs 2,000 per quintal, Rs 1,760 per quintal for maize, Rs 7,050 per quintal for moong and Rs 5,255 to Rs 5650 per quintal for cotton varieties, while this time the official price of bajra has been increased to Rs 2,150 per quintal, Rs 1,850 per quintal for maize, Rs 7,196 per quintal for moong and Rs 5,515 to Rs 5,825 per quintal for cotton varieties.
