The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has achieved its target to
procure 10,000 metric tonne (MT) of paddy from various locations in
Tripura and closed their mission for the current year.
This was
for the first time the FCI has gone for procurement of paddy at a
minimum support price of Rs 17.50 per Kg. Official sources in the food
department said the Corporation officials are happy with their
achievement in the first year.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is
also happy with the success and requested the Union Minister for Food
and Civil Supplies, Ram Vilash Paswan to increase the target to 30,000
MT for the next year. The farmers of the State also were happy with the
procurement drive. It not only paid them the minimum support price but
also ensured the remunerative price in the open market.
The
traders used to force the farmers to sell their product at a cost less
than the production cost by creating an artificial scarcity of demand.
But this time they also paid a much higher price. There is case of
distress sale this year, said one Food department official. The Food
department is expecting a surge in paddy production next year as the
farmers community is very much encouraged with the remunerative price
they have got this year.
