The State government has decided to procure paddy at ₹1,759 a quintal from farmers from December 15. The current market price is around ₹1,300 to ₹1,400 a quintal.
Minister for Cooperation Bandeppa Kashempur chaired a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on fixing procurement prices for commodities on Saturday, and fixed prices for paddy, black gram, soyabean, and toor dal. He said farmers have to register at procurement centres in rice mills from December 5 to 15.
During kharif season, paddy was cultivated on 10 lakh hectares and about 45 lakh tonnes of paddy were expected during the season. The Centre granted permission to procure only two lakh tonnes of paddy, he said.
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Prices of onion have also crashed in the State even as the harvest has just begun in other major producing States such as Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Mr. Kashempur said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had told the committee to fix support price for onion on the lines of the price given to mango crop. The committee’s proposal was submitted to the CM.
Procurement of black gram and soya bean would commence from Sunday.
The Minister said toor dal was cultivated on 15.56 lakh hectares and 11.34 lakh tonnes of output was expected. It was decided to procure toor dal at ₹5,675 a quintal against the prevailing market price of ₹4,300 a quintal. The State government had written to the Centre seeking latter’s clearance for procurement of tur dal. Procurement of toor dal would commence after a month.
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The Minister said it was decided to fix support price for maize also and a decision would be taken soon. The Deputy Commissioner of each district would identify locations for procurement of commodities, Mr. Kashempur said.
RDPR Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Horticulture Minister M C Managuli attended the meeting.