Due to the recent Assembly elections, the paddy procurement is learnt to have slowed down slightly with millers capitalising on the situation and securing most of the crop directly from farmers

Hyderabad: Paddy procurement in Telangana is likely to fall short of the ambitious target of one crore tonnes for the Vanakalam (Kharif) season, with around 44 lakh tonnes procured as on Saturday.

Due to the recent Assembly elections, the paddy procurement is learnt to have slowed down slightly with millers capitalising on the situation and securing most of the crop directly from farmers.

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Paddy cultivation has been undertaken across approximately 65 lakh acres in Telangana during the ongoing Kharif season, resulting in an estimated production of around 1.45 crore tonnes. The State government had set an ambitious target of one crore tonnes for paddy procurement. However, the paddy procurement is learnt to have been slowed down, with no focused monitoring during the recent Assembly polls.

Notably, millers seem to have taken advantage of the temporary lapse in government procurement, securing a major portion of the crop directly from farmers. This shift is attributed to farmers predominantly cultivating fine rice varieties during the Vanakalam season, enticing millers to step in when government procurement momentarily waned.

There have been complaints that several millers sold the rice stocks pertaining to Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) stored in their mills recently. However, they have reportedly procured fresh paddy to compensate for the old stocks and to supply it to the State government as per norms.

“By purchasing fine rice variety of paddy, they will be able to supply the promised rice to the State government and also sell excess paddy in the market directly,” an Agriculture official said.

With the Vanakalam (Kharif) marketing season in progress and the commencement of the Yasangi (Rabi) crop season, the officials are now tasked with accelerating paddy procurement to bridge the gap between the current acquisition and the set target. They also have to gear up the millers to complete the pending supplies of milled rice to the State and also clear the stocks for storage space, before preparing for paddy procurement again for Yasangi marketing season scheduled to commence in March-April.

• Paddy cultivated in around 65 lakh acres for Kharif

• Estimated paddy production pegged at 1.45 crore tonnes

• Paddy procurement target of State government is one crore tonnes

• Till Saturday, 44 lakh tonnes have been procured