Gadwal: District Collector B.M. Santosh has called for a smooth and transparent process to buy paddy from farmers across the district. On Tuesday, he visited the paddy procurement center in Maldakal mandal, which is managed by the local Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society. He was joined by Additional Collector Lakshmi Narayana during the inspection.
At the center, the Collector checked how much paddy was expected to arrive and reviewed the records and entries made through the Online Procurement Management System (OPMS) app. He told staff to keep records accurate and up to date, both on paper and online. This will help ensure farmers receive their payments without delay.
The Collector also inspected the paddy drying at the site. Using a digital moisture meter, he checked moisture levels and reminded staff to only accept paddy with 17% moisture or less. Once that condition is met, the paddy should be weighed and bought at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
He stressed that all purchased paddy must be transported quickly to rice mills, without any unnecessary delays.
To support farmers financially, the government will pay ₹2,820 per quintal for fine variety paddy. This includes an MSP of ₹2,320 plus a bonus of ₹500. The Collector asked officials to clearly display this pricing at every center so farmers are well informed.
He also instructed all procurement centers to have basic facilities like paddy cleaners, gunny bags, tarpaulins, and access to drinking water. Proper transportation must be arranged to move the paddy efficiently.
“Our goal is to make the entire paddy procurement smooth and successful,” the Collector said. He urged all officials and center staff to work together and stay organized.
Among those present at the inspection were District Civil Supplies Officer Swami Kumar, Mandal Agriculture Officer Raj Shekhar, PACS Chairman Kiran, along with other officials and local farmers.
