Andhra sends 1.7 lakh tonnes of rice to FCI within 15 days of kharif procurement

Amaravati, Dec 11 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Minister Nadendla Manohar on Thursday said the state achieved a milestone by sending over 1.7 lakh tonnes of rice to the FCI within 15 days of launching kharif paddy procurement.

Manohar said procurement has been progressing at an accelerated pace across districts, noting that the state procured over 1.4 lakh tonnes on December 10 alone, marking one of the highest single-day figures this season.

“Within 15 days of commencing kharif paddy procurement, we have sent more than 1.7 lakh tonnes of rice to the Food Corporation of India, marking a significant milestone,” State Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar said in a press release.

He added that the state has so far procured over 20 lakh tonnes of paddy from nearly 3.5 lakh farmers, depositing around 4,600 crore into their accounts to ensure timely payments.

To facilitate smooth transportation, the NDA coalition government has deployed 32,000 lorries, tractors, mini-tractors, and special trains to shift stocks immediately from procurement centres.

Manohar noted that emergency measures were initiated in Krishna, Guntur, and Bapatla districts due to heavy yields and the impact of rains and Cyclone Ditwah, with 106 rice mills in Krishna district granted inter-district movement permissions.

The minister emphasised that transparent procurement, strict supervision of millers, and continuous monitoring remain key priorities of the government to safeguard farmers and ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations continue without interruption.

He said the Civil Supplies Department is making arrangements to manage large arrivals of procured paddy, with increased logistics support ensuring faster movement of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) to the FCI.

Manohar urged farmers to participate directly in procurement operations. PTI MS STH SSK