Jammu and Kashmir administration has established 18 centres in the current Kharif marketing season for procurement of paddy at the minimum support price across Jammu region, according to a senior official. Principal Secretary Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department Navin Kumar Choudhary said the centres were set up in Jammu (9), Kathua (8) and Samba (1).
“Timely operationalisation of procurement centres will ensure that the farmers are not compelled to sell their produce below the minimum support price fixed during the current season,” Choudhary said at a meeting here.
Assuring full support to Food Corporation of India, he asked FCI officials to make sure that payments are released immediately after procurement of paddy from the farmers, preferably within 72 hours through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) mode.