Surplus pockets identified in Dimapur, Nuiland, Jalukie, Ralan Yampha areas
Kohima, March 25 (MExN): With the “Year of Farmers” in progress, the department of food and civil supplies expressed its keenness to strengthen and invigorate the Paddy Procurement Policy (PPP) in all respects so that farming continues to be a dependable mainstay in Nagaland. More surplus pockets of paddy in the state are in the process of being identified to cover more farmers under the PPP, the department said in its annual administrative report. For the first time, the department has introduced PPP in 2004 to protect the farmers against the exploitation by the middlemen and to secure them the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy.
Accordingly, 1, 02, 517 quintals of paddy were procured directly from the farmers during the Kharif season of 2004-05 under the Nagaland Rice Procurement (Levy) order, 2004 and the farmers were paid the MSP at Rs. 560 per quintal.
The government has appointed agencies which procured the paddy directly from the farmers processed it into Custom Milled Rice which was sold to FCI at Rs. 920.29 per quintal. During 2005-06, more than 2 lakhs quintals of paddy area targeted to be procured from the farmers and the consumers alike, the report said.
The new policy has also resulted in saving of approximately Rs. 3 crores for the Government of India for every season which is the cost normally incurred by the FCI on rail freight and other charges.
The state government has identified four surplus pockets- Dimapur area, Nuiland area, Jalukie area and Ralan Yampha area, for procurement of paddy under this scheme, the report added.
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