Kathua : Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rakesh Minhas along-with DDC Keerian Gandyal Dr. Shweta Rajput on Saturday inaugurated a Paddy Procurement Centre at Bhajwal set up by District Administration in collaboration with FCI to facilitate farmers for hassle free sale of Agriculture Produce of Kharif 2023.
With the opening of the Procurement centre at Bhajwal, the number of operationalised procurement centres established at different locations in District Kathua reaches 11.
DDC Keerian, Dr. Shweta Rajput thanked District Administration Kathua and Food Corporation of India for opening Paddy Procurement Centres for the convenience of the farmers in Kathua. She appealed to the farmers to avail the benefit to remunerative prices by selling their paddy crop at these centres.
The Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas said, Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies have undertaken the task of paddy procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) to create a buffer stock as well as protect the interest of farmers. ‘The farmers will be given support price at the rate of Rs 2183 for the common paddy variety and Rs 2203 for Grade “A” Variety,’ he added.
Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua, Sanjeev Rai Gupta, said, the Department of Agriculture, Kathua in collaboration with Food Corporation of India has opened 11 Procurement Centres in the district to ease the transportation of Paddy Harvested by farmers to the nearest Procurement Centre of their choice.
Referring the procurement data of last two years, the CAO informed that 2.5126 Lakh quintals was procured from 4865 farmers & 1.8598 lakh quintals of paddy was procured from 3242 farmers of the district during Kharif 2021 and Kharif 2022 respectively. He further said, Department of Agriculture is expecting procurement of 2.50 lakh quintals during Kharif 2023. He appreciated the efforts of D.C Kathua and his personal intervention in timely operationalising the procurement centres in the District.
It is pertinent to mention that APFWD Kathua and FCI has operationalised 11 paddy procurement Centres at Bhajwal, Keerian, Nagri, Jakhbar-Padiyari, Palli, Kunde Chack, Mukandpur, Dhanni- Bakhta, Marheen, Chann Arorian and Dungara of District Kathua. Progressive farmers and PRI representatives from the adjoining areas of Jarai, Keerian and Bhajwal were also present during the occasion.
Among others District Agriculture Officer (Ext.) Kathua Murari Lal, Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer, Kathua Purshotam Gupta, Agriculture Extension Officer, Kathua Parmod Kumar, J.A.E.O Keerian Gandyal Balinder Singh, J.A.E.O Mirpur Ram Ravinder Pal Singh, A.E.A Goond Naresh Kumar were present on the occasion.
