Price of paddy in open market increases as FCI starts procurement

A Correspondent

Agartala: Price of paddy in local market shoots up as the Food Corporation of India starts procurement from local market in minimum support price of Rs 17.50 per KG in different parts of the state. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated the procurement in a function at Kamalpur in Dhalai District on December 15 in presence of the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manoj Deb.

Though the FCI collection centers are active, sources said, they are not getting much response from the farmers as traders who use to pay paltry price earlier has increased the price considerably. The traders were buying per Mon (About 40 kg) at a cost of Rs 400 only has instantly increased it to Rs 600 per Mon which little less than the price offered by FCI but the farmers feels it comfortable to sell to the traders.

It is because for selling the paddy to the FCI the farmers is to carry the product up to the collection centre which need much effort and a transport cost also involved in it. On the other hand the traders collect the paddy from the farmer’s house and they don’t need any extra effort for that.

Meanwhile the FCI has opened another collection centre at Kakrabon in Gomati district where on the first day they have collected 100 quintals of paddy. Agriculture Minister Pranajit Sinha who inaugurated the centre said state need total 3 lakh MT of paddy for distribution through Fair Price Shops and the state government’s target is to collect the entire quantity from the state.

Also read: Food Corporation of India to Start Rice Procurement in Tripura