GUWAHATI: In a bid to empower local farmers and streamline paddy harvest, a Paddy Procurement Centre (PPC) was inaugurated at FCI FSD Ramnagar in Cachar on Thursday.
To be operated by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the PPC has been allocated a target of 5000 MT paddy procurement for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24.
District Commissioner, Cachar, Rohan Kumar Jha declared it officially open in an inauguration ceremony attended by key officials, including ADC (Supply), Cachar, SDAO, Cachar, and concerned ADOs of Agriculture Circles, along with officials from the FCI Silchar Divisional Office.
A considerable number of farmers from nearby areas also attended the event.
Commissioner Jha, in his address to the gathering, urged local farmers to utilise the government-operated PPCs, highlighting the benefits of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) set by the Centre.
The MSP for paddy stands at Rs. 2183/- per quintal for the KMS 2023-24, aiming to provide fair returns to farmers and discourage distress sales.
Highlighting the ongoing awareness programmes, the Jha mentioned large-scale initiatives at Block and GP levels, with active participation from the District Agriculture Department, FCI, and other agencies.
These programmes aim to educate farmers about the advantages of selling their produce through authorised channels, he said.
As part of the inauguration, a Quality Control (QC) display pavilion was also erected by FCI.
This pavilion provided farmers and the press with insights into the quality procedures followed during the purchase of paddy and the creation of Custom Milling Rice (CMR).
Apart from that, Ramnagar also saw the inauguration of a facilitation centre at FCI FSD offering a platform for farmers to resolve queries and seek redressal of grievances.
The centre aims to streamline communication and enhance the overall experience for farmers engaging with the PPC.
