Agartala, June 9: The Tripura government has started the second phase of paddy procurement with a minimum support price of Rs 18.68 per kg with a target of buying 20,000 metric tonne (MT), Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said.
In this 'Rabi season', a total of 29 centres have been opened in eight districts of the state on Tuesday and the farmers have started selling paddy, he said. Deb in a Facebook post in Bengali said that no such facility was available for purchasing paddy directly from the farmers at MSP in the state before the BJP-IPFT government came to power. "The Tripura government is buying paddy from farmers at Rs 1,868 per quintal. The state government will spend Rs 37.36 crore on this. In addition, the accessory cost will be another Rs 6.87 crore," Deb said.
He also urged the farmers across the state to sell their paddy at the nearest agriculture department or sub- divisional magistrate's office and avail the minimum support price. Meanwhile, Food and Civil Supplies minister Manoj Kanti Deb said, after the BJP-IPFT government came to power three years ago the paddy procurement with minimum support price had started and in the last three years 60,000 MT paddy was procured from the farmers, which benefited them economically. "At least 35,000 farmers in Tripura have benefited since the procurement started. The government is paying extra money from the state coffer to support the peasants", the Minister told reporters.
