Srinagar, Sep 28: To save the farmers from distress paddy sale, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir today asked the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to setup adequate paddy procurement centres in Jammu province.
 The Minister was chairing a high level meeting convened this afternoon to take the stock of Paddy procurement in three districts of Jammu.
 The Meeting was attended by Secretary CA&PD, Director Agriculture, Jammu, Special Secretary CA&PD, Deputy Manager FCI and other officers.
 Regarding, the setting up of procurement centers, the Meeting decided that the Government would take the matter with the Union Minister for food and Supplies for giving approval to FCI to procure the Paddy through agent system as is in vogue in Punjab.
 Meanwhile, the meeting asked FCI authorities to Procure levy rice from notified mills of the three districts as per the rates already notified by the FCI. The FCI authority has informed the meeting that milers would buy the common rice from farmers @ Rs 1080 per quintal and Grade- A@ Rs 1110Per quintal similarly  the FCI could buy the common rice from millers @ of Rs 1590 and Grade-A @ of Rs1635 per quintal. It was also decided that the FCI would also procure the paddy in his notified Godowns.
 The Minister directed the FCI to aware the farmers about the rates of paddy and rice under levy procurement through print and electronic media. He directed Director Agriculture Jammu to take action those mill owners who will create any hurdle during the procurement of paddy.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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