As the government replaced the ‘levy’ system with custom milling, arrangements were in place to procure 14 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy from the farmers of East Godavari district through 350 paddy procurement centres from the second week of November. A sum of Rs. 1,450 per quintal will be paid for Grade ‘A’ paddy and the price for the 75 kg bag will be Rs. 1,087.50. Similarly, the common variety will be purchased at Rs. 1,410 per quintal and Rs. 1,057.50 for 75 kg bag. For custom milling, the rice millers will have to provide bank guarantee of Rs. 1 crore for every 740 metric tonnes of paddy. Announcing this at a meeting on Thursday, Joint Collector S. Satyanarayana said paddy was transplanted in 2.35 lakh hectares in the district and the produce was expected to around 14 lakh metric tonnes.
Around 350 procurement centres to be set up from November second week