Record 869.80 LMT paddy procured during 2021-22 kharif season, benefitting 128 lakh farmers

New Delhi, July 26: A record 433.32 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been procured from most of the wheat procuring states after conclusion of current 2021-22 marketing season, the Centre said on Monday.

The procurement has exceeded the previous limit of 389.92 LMT of the last season. Wheat has been procured against the last year corresponding purchase of 387.67 LMT, a Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution statement said.

In all, around 49.15 lakh farmers have benefited from the ongoing procurement operations with an MSP value of Rs. 85,581.39 Crore.

Paddy procurement as a whole in the ongoing Kharif season of 2020-21 stands at 869.80 LMTs (includes Kharif crop of 707.69 LMT and Rabi Crop 162.11 LMT)  as against last year‘s corresponding purchase of 759.24 LMT.

This has benefitted 128.38 lakh farmers with a combined MSP disbursement standing at Rs. 1,64,217.43 Crore, the statement said.

Approval has also been accorded for procurement of 108.42 LMT of pulse and oilseeds of the kharif marketing season of 2020-21, rabi marketing season of 2021 and summer season of 2021  for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS).