Paddy procurement in the ongoing Kharif marketing season has so far increased by 21 percent to 375.72 lakh tonnes, valued at Rs 70,937.38 crore.

In the ongoing Kharif marketing season (KMS) 2020-21, the government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP (minimum support price) from farmers, an official statement said on Friday. The Kharif marketing season starts in October.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar.

The Food Corporation of India and state agencies have purchased 375.72 lakh tonnes of paddy till December 13 as against 310.71 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.

"About 41.04 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 70,937.38 crore," the statement said. Out of the total purchase of 375.72 lakh tonnes, Punjab has contributed 202.77 lakh tonnes, which is almost 54 percent.

Procurement operations of seed cotton (Kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka.

"Till December 13, a quantity of 48,20,208 cotton bales valuing Rs 13,939.52 crore has been procured benefitting 9,31,183 farmers," the statement said.