Paddy procurement in 10 years of BRS Govt, transforming Telangana as rice bowl of India

HYDERABAD: Contrary to the claims of the State Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy that the BRS Government has mismanaged the paddy procurement process and fudged data, the facts of paddy procurement from 2014 to 2023 show that the quantum of procurement was not only rose in quick succession, the farmers were also compensated well in return for their toil.

Now a glance at the paddy procurement during the BRS Government in the State.

The Civil Supplies Department through Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (TSCSCL) from the Vanakalam (Kharif) 2014-15 to 2022-23 purchased huge quantities of paddy duly ensuring Minimum Support Price (MSP) benefiting lakhs of farmers through Paddy Purchase Centers of IKP, PACS with a farmer-friendly transparent system.

Vanakalam (Kharif) procurement

Source: TELANGANA STATE’S PROGRESSIVE PATH @ 10TH YEAR

Yasangi (Rabi) 2022-23

During Rabi(Yasangi) 2022-23, as against the estimated procurement of 102.49 LMTS of paddy from 7,175 PPCs proposed, a total of 6,290 PPCs were opened as of May 11, 2023 and procured a quantity of 18.15 LMTS of paddy at MSP from 4,803 PPCs covering 2,51,792 farmers and an amount of Rs.1,433.62 Crore has been paid to the farmers to their bank accounts directly.

Telangana State has emerged as the rice bowl of the country after the formation of the State in 2014 with paddy procurement of about 110.35 Lakh MTs out of the total country's procurement of 857.30 Lakh MTs which is approximately 13 percent.

During the Vanakalam season in the year 2021-22. This is next only to the State of Punjab which has procured 187.29 Lakh MTs of paddy. The value of paddy purchased has increased from Rs.3,392 crores in 2014-15 to an amount Rs.23,604 crores in 2021-22 (about 6 times).