Increase in paddy procurement

TIRUVALLA: The Civil Supplies Corporation has procured around 6,900 tonnes of paddy from the farmers of Pathanamthitta district this season. Out of which, over 6,400 tonnes were from Upper Kuttanad region.“The collection till now is around 2,700 tonnes more than the previous year,” paddy procurement officer K Rajendra Prasad said. The procurement began one month ago. The Civil Supplies Corporation has fixed the procurement price at Rs 15 for a kilogram of paddy, whereas private rice mill owners offered only Rs 12 to the farmers.Last year, private rice mill owners had offered more than the Civil Supplies rate.The state government has provided Rs 75 crore to procure paddy from farmers in the state. Avoiding mediators, the price of procured paddy is being credited to the bank account of the farmers.Paddy procurement officers have been assigned to carry out the procurement.