Minister orders expedited paddy procurement in Nalgonda

Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has directed rice millers to speed up paddy procurement in view of the difficulties faced by farmers due to recent rains and cyclonic conditions.

The minister held a review meeting in Nalgonda with officials and rice millers to assess the progress of procurement. He instructed them to work round the clock to ensure that paddy collection is completed at the earliest. He also urged millers to ensure that farmers do not face issues related to excess moisture or grain damage during the process.

Minister Venkat Reddy emphasized that paddy purchased from farmers should be transported to mills without delay. He also directed officials to immediately set up basic facilities at procurement centers - including tarpaulin covers, paddy cleaners, and moisture measuring equipment - for the convenience of farmers.

He added that the state government has already submitted a report to the Centre seeking relaxation of norms for cotton procurement. The Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, is expected to soon hold discussions with Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials to finalize decisions on pending issues such as boiled rice quotas and payment of dues.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to protecting farmers’ interests, the minister said every grain produced by farmers would be purchased at the minimum support price along with additional bonus benefits. “It is our government’s responsibility to ensure that every drop of a farmer’s sweat is valued,” he said, assuring that fair prices will be guaranteed for their hard-earned produce.

District officials, rice millers, and representatives from the agriculture and marketing departments participated in the meeting.