Centre Ensures Seamless Paddy and CMR Procurement in Punjab.
New Delhi:
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi outlined the Union Government’s measures to ensure the smooth procurement of paddy and Custom Milled Rice (CMR) in Punjab. The Minister affirmed that the target of 185 LMT set for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 will be fully met, ensuring that no grain of paddy goes unprepared.
Joshi also announced the upcoming launch of an online grievance redressal portal for rice millers, aimed at addressing stakeholder challenges promptly.
Paddy procurement officially began in Punjab on October 1, 2024, across 2,700 designated mandis, including temporary yards. Although harvesting and procurement faced delays due to heavy rainfall and higher moisture content, the state is now on track to achieve its procurement goal by November 2024. As of October 26, 2024, 50 LMT of the 54.5 LMT of paddy arriving at mandis had already been procured.
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for common paddy has significantly increased from Rs 1,310 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs 2,300 per quintal in 2024-25. Out of 3,800 registered millers, 3,250 have been allotted work by the Punjab government, with more registrations expected in the coming week.
To ensure sufficient storage for CMR, high-level meetings with the Punjab government are underway, focusing on expediting wheat evacuation and increasing storage capacity. Punjab has approximately 15 LMT of vacant storage space, with plans for adequate space before the usual CMR delivery in December.
Concerns have arisen from millers about the existing 67% Out Turn Ratio (OTR) from paddy to rice, particularly regarding the PR-126 variety, which reportedly yields lower OTRs due to the rise of hybrid variants. A study has been commissioned to review these OTR norms, with tests being conducted across various states.
Additionally, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has authorized regional offices to approve extra transportation charges for millers when designated depot space is unavailable, ensuring issues are resolved efficiently.
