Agartala 2nd December, 2024: The Tripura government has set a target to procure 21,315 metric tons of paddy from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the current Kharif season. The procurement price has been set at ₹23 per kilogram. The procurement process will commence on December 19, 2024, across the state.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat today, Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced the initiative. He stated that the government procures paddy from farmers during both Kharif and Rabi seasons annually. Last season, paddy was procured at ₹21.83 per kilogram, and the MSP has now been increased to ₹23 per kilogram for this season.
The formal state-level inauguration of the paddy procurement program will take place at the Madhabbari Truck Terminus Center in Jirania. Additionally, 49 centers will be set up across various districts to procure paddy directly from farmers.
Minister Chowdhury informed that a virtual meeting was held earlier in the day with the participation of Agriculture Minister Ratanlal Nath, Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Block Development Officers (BDOs), and officials from the Agriculture and Food Departments to ensure smooth implementation of the program.
The Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts since its establishment in 2018, mentioning that paddy procurement programs were introduced twice a year during the Kharif and Rabi seasons. From 2018 to date, a total of 2,07,859.696 metric tons of paddy have been procured from farmers at a cost of ₹405.88 crore, benefiting 1,08,127 farmers.
This initiative, he said, is part of a larger effort to double farmers’ income and provide fair prices for their produce, thereby strengthening the economic foundation of the farming community.
Also present at the press conference were Sumit Lodh, Director of the Food Department, and Shardindu Das, Director of the Agriculture Department.
