The Hindu : FCI to procure one lakh tonnes of rice from millers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 06, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

FCI to procure one lakh tonnes of rice from millers

By Our Staff Reporter

SRIKAKULAM Dec. 5 . The FCI will procure one lakh tonnes of rice from millers in Srikakulam district during the kharif season. This is 20,000 tonnes less than last year's kharif procurement. A total of 1.4 lakh tonnes was procured during the kharif and rabi last year, according to the FCI District Manager, Hemant Kumar Jain.

The target, which was tentative, had been pegged lower by the State Government owing to the prevailing drought conditions, he told a press conference organised to announce the setting up of paddy purchase centres(PPCs) by the FCI in the district to help farmers get minimum support price (MSP) on Thursday.

The procedure for procurement would be the same as last year. The rice would be procured in proportion to the paddy purchased by the millers from farmers at MSP and on the basis of the certificate issued by the district authorities, Mr. Jain said.

Paddy purchase centres

Mr. Jain said the FCI's paddy purchase centres would be set up at Amadalavalasa, Nimmada, Ponduru, Rajam and Palasa and would function from December 7. The price for Grade A and common rice is Rs. 560 and Rs. 530 a quintal respectively and an additional Rs. 20 would be paid as drought relief. Only paddy of fair average quality measuring up to the specifications of the FCI would be purchased at the centres and cheques would be issued in the name of farmers.

However, farmers would have to bring either their pattadar passbooks or a certificate from the MRO or the Village Assistant stating that the paddy was produced by them. He said farmers should bring half-a-kg of paddy as sample and it would be examined by the staff manning the centres. Subsequently, the produce could be brought for sale.

The FCI staff at the PPCs includes an assistant manager, Quality Control, who will advise farmers on the practices to be followed.

The specifications are with regard to moisture (17 per cent), and contents of organic and inorganic matter (1 per cent each), damaged, discoloured, sprouted, immature, and shrivelled grain (3 per cent) and admixture (10 per cent).

The practice of threshing by spreading harvested crop on the road was leading to more foreign material being found in the paddy and the purchase centres were meant to educate farmers on such things, Mr. Jain added.

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