Agartala: Feb 11: Every year, the Food Department, with assistance from the Agriculture Department, procures rice from farmers during the Kharif and Rabi seasons to strengthen their economic foundation. In the past month, rice was procured from farmers at 51 centers across 19 districts of the state. During the recent Kharif season, a total of 17,497.109 metric tons of rice were bought at a price of 23 rupees per kg.
A total of 8,922 farmers directly benefited from this procurement, with the farmers collectively set to receive 40 crore 25 lakh rupees. Of this amount, 35 crore 62 lakh rupees have already been disbursed. This information was shared at a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday by Minister Sushanta Chowdhury. He emphasized that the government identifies farmers as the “Lakshmi” of the country, recognizing them as the providers of food. Despite facing severe floods, farmers did not lose their determination. With government support, they have been able to recover and continue their work.
The minister further reassured that farmers whose accounts have not yet received the payment need not be worried, as the delay is due to technical reasons. The funds will be credited in the coming days. He also mentioned that last year’s Kharif season saw the procurement of 16,000 metric tons of rice from farmers, and this year’s achievement of 17,000 metric tons was considered a success by the government.
The minister stated that despite the challenges posed by the massive floods, the government views meeting the procurement target as an ordinary achievement. Looking ahead, the government will focus on how to further encourage farmers and increase crop production in the future. The press conference was attended by officials from both the Food and Agriculture Departments.
