Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu promised Tuesday that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) would provide additional space to procure the rice field grown in Rabi 2020-21 in the East Godavari district.
During a virtual meeting on the status of paddy procurement on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Rice Millers’ Association (APRMA) President Dwarampudi Bhaskara Reddy told Mr Kannababu that there is no ungodly space for the procurement of MTU 3626 paddy, the preferred variety in the district. and wanted the FCI to create additional storage.
Mr. Kannababu pledged to take up the matter with Prime Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to help achieve the Rabi procurement goal. “I will urge the Chief Minister to look into the possibility of persuading the FCI to design their wagon facility to provide additional space for deities,” said Kannababu.
The APRMA has claimed that the rice millers had already procured 1.5 lakh tons of rice in the district by Tuesday.
Joint collector G. Lakshmisha said 765 tons of rice were procured by the state government through the Paddy Purchasing Centers (PPC). The total rabi paddy production in the district is estimated at over 13.50 lakh tons.
The Ministry of Agriculture authorities said that 61,150 farmers have registered their harvest dates with the Rythu Bharosa Kendras for procurement by the PPCs.