Procurement of paddy at support price in Chhattisgarh will start from November 1. Maize will also be purchased from this day. Paddy procurement will continue till January 31 and maize procurement till February 28. Biometric arrangements are being made for purchasing paddy from farmers. The government will purchase 20 quintals of paddy per acre this year and a target of purchasing 125 lakh metric tons has been set. This decision has been taken in the meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee held on Saturday 
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Under the chairmanship of Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat, a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee was formed to review the policy of paddy procurement and custom milling of the upcoming Kharif crop and give suggestions. Minister Bhagat said that on the instructions of the Central Food Department, biometric based paddy procurement system will be implemented in the state this year. This is the support price.
Procurement will be done at the minimum support price fixed by the Central Government for average good quality paddy and maize. Paddy will be purchased at the fixed support price of Rs 2183 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2203 per quintal for Grade-A paddy. Similarly, maize will be purchased at the rate of Rs 2090 per quintal.
This year 2617 paddy procurement centers
Keeping in mind the convenience of farmers in selling paddy in the state, the number of paddy procurement centers is being increased. On the demand of farmers, some more paddy procurement centers will be opened this year. At present 2617 paddy procurement centers are operating. Last year, 24.96 lakh farmers of the state had got themselves registered. 7.5 lakh gunny bags will be required.
Last year, 2.5 lakh new farmers were registered in the state and a record 107.53 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was purchased. The number of farmers is likely to increase this year also. A target has been set to purchase 125 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. This year approximately seven and a half lakh gunny bags will be required. This will require 4.03 lakh new and 3.43 lakh bales of old gunny bags. Preparations are already being made by the Food Department for the arrangement of gunny bags.
Promise of purchasing paddy at Rs 3600 per quintal in the next government
Minister Ravindra Choubey has promised that if Congress government is formed in the state, farmers will get Rs 3600. Price of paddy will be available per quintal. According to 30 percent increase in MSP, the price of paddy received by farmers will reach Rs 3600 per quintal in the next tenure of the government. Farmers will start getting its benefits from next year
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