STATE: The Tripura Government has set a target of procuring 15,000 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers this year at the minimum support price during the Rabi season. Paddy will be purchased at the rate of 21 takas 83 paise per kg. From June 15, 2024, the purchase of paddy at a subsidized price will start in the state. Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Sushant Chowdhury said this at a press conference organized by the Department of Food Public Procurement and Consumer Affairs at the press conference hall of the secretariat today.

In the press conference, he said, its official launch at the state level will be at Jolaibari in the South Tripura district. Paddy will be procured from the farmers in 31 blocks of paddy procurement centers in 6 districts of the state namely West Tripura, Sipahijala, Khowai, Dhalai, South Tripura, and Gomti districts. The Food Minister said that a virtual meeting was held today with Sub-Divisional Governors, BDOs, District and Sub-Divisional Officers of the Agriculture Department, and various levels of officials of the Food Department regarding the purchase of paddy from farmers at subsidized prices during Rabi season.

In a press conference, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Sushant Chowdhury said that since the establishment of the current government in the state in 2018, the program to purchase paddy from farmers twice a year during the Kharif and Rabi seasons was started. Since 2018, a total of 1 lakh 92 thousand 52 metric tons of paddy has been purchased from farmers in the state under government initiatives. The state government has spent about 372 crore rupees.

As a result, 1.3 lakh farmers in the state have benefited. This initiative of the state government is to double the income of the farmers and strengthen their economic base by paying the right price for their produce. The Food Minister further stated that the Food Department has purchased 5 new trucks for transporting food crops. About 1.86 crore rupees have been spent on it. The trucks will be formally flagged off on Tuesday at the central store at AD Nagar, Agartala.