The State government has made arrangements to distribute the price of paddy to farmers within 15 days of procurement, Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil has said.
He was inaugurating paddy harvest at Chithira Kayal paddy polder in Kuttanad on Monday. Mr. Anil said that the procedures involved in the distribution of paddy procurement prices would be simplified.
The Minister said that K-Rice would be introduced in the State soon. “The government is trying to buy rice from government-run institutions in neighbouring States at reasonable rates. It will be made available in Kerala through Supplyco under the brand name K-Rice. The government is committed to providing rice to people at a reasonable rate. The K-Rice will materialise soon,” Mr. Anil said.
Later, inaugurating a debate on paddy procurement at M.S. Swaminathan Rice Research Station, Mankombu, the Minister said that the entire paddy produced by farmers in the State would be procured, for which existing rules would be relaxed. “As per the criteria, 2,200 kg of paddy can be procured from five acres. We have decided to do away with it. The government will procure the entire paddy,” he said.
Mr. Anil said that talks with representatives of rice mills on allocating paddy polders to them for procuring paddy in the ongoing puncha crop season would be held on March 11.
Speaking at the function, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad said that a rapid response cell and a toll-free number would be introduced for farmers to raise complaints regarding paddy procurement.
