Chhattisgarh government has so far procured 1,24,000 metric tonnes of paddy during the ongoing procurement for the kharif marketing season 2009-10.
The procurement of paddy for the minimum support price (MSP) has started on October 12 and will continue till January 31, 2010. The state marketing federation has set up 1,577 procurement centres across the state to purchase paddy.
For the common variety of paddy, farmers will get Rs 950 for a quintal as MSP. The state government has set Rs 980 as MSP for a quintal of Grade-A paddy. The state government has set a target to procure 4 million tonnes of paddy this year.
Sources in the federation said that 1,24,000 metric tonnes of paddy had been procured even as about a month had been completed after the procurement started in the state. Of the paddy procured, maximum 32,192 metric tonnes had been purchased in Raipur while minimum 7,000 metric tonnes in Koriya district.
The officials said that the paddy inflow in the society was low as the harvesting had been delayed following late sowing.