Ponnam Prabhakar Oversees Paddy Procurement Drive in Siddipet District

Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has issued directives to district authorities to guarantee smooth paddy procurement operations in Siddipet, prioritizing farmer welfare throughout the process.

The review meeting, held at the Siddipet district collectorate, brought together government officials, rice millers, and transport contractors to coordinate procurement efforts. Prabhakar emphasized that completing the procurement within ten days is achievable if the district processes and transports 20,000 metric tonnes of paddy daily to mills. He stressed the importance of seamless coordination among all stakeholders involved in the operation.

The Yasangi season paddy harvest in Siddipet has exceeded initial projections, reaching four lakh metric tonnes across the district. To facilitate this procurement, authorities have established 427 procurement centres, with 390 already operational. To date, 1.20 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have been procured and transported to rice mills.

To accelerate unloading operations at mills, the Minister instructed rice millers to deploy additional hamalis and expedite the process. He also directed officials to weigh paddy only after moisture content reaches acceptable standards. Adequate transport vehicle availability remains critical, with the Minister ensuring that logistics do not create bottlenecks for farmers seeking to sell their grain.

Beyond immediate procurement, Prabhakar has tasked the Agriculture Department with developing a comprehensive action plan to promote fine rice cultivation in the district. He called for intensive engagement with Agricultural Extension Officers to educate farmers about fine variety paddy cultivation, setting a target of 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of fine paddy production in Siddipet.

District Collector K. Haimavathi reported that maize production in the district reached 46,000 metric tonnes, with procurement efforts already securing 24,500 metric tonnes to protect farmer interests.

The review brought together Police Commissioner Rashmi Perumal, District Civil Supplies Officer Tanuja, District Civil Supplies Manager Gopikrishna, District Marketing Officer Nagaraju, and other officials.