Govt buys 5.56 million tonnes kharif paddy at MSP in last 18 days

The Centre on Sunday said about 55.61 lakh tonnes of kharif paddy worth Rs 10,500 crore has been purchased at minimum support price (MSP) from 4.80 lakh farmers in the last 18 days.
Paddy procurement commenced in Punjab and Haryana from September 26 due to early arrival of the crop, while in other states it began on October 1.
More than 80 per cent of the country’s paddy crop is grown in the kharif season. The government through Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies undertakes procurement of paddy at MSP.
“Paddy procurement through FCI and other government agencies for the 2020-21 kharif marketing season has picked up fast in some of the procuring regions like Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and J&K,” the Food Ministry said in a statement.
Till October 13, about 55.61 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured at MSP value of Rs 10,500.72 crore, it said.
For the current year, the centre has fixed the MSP of paddy (common grade) at Rs 1,868 per quintal, while