Maharashtra: Paddy farmers to get ₹700 per quintal additional incentive above MSP

The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved a scheme for the paddy farmers under which ₹700 per quintal additional incentive would be provided. This exercise would cost an additional ₹1,400 crore to the State’s exchequer, a statement by the Government said.

This year 1.78 lakh quintals of paddy crop are expected to be procured by the State Government.

The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. For the Kharif season 2020-21, the Central government has fixed the base price of grain at ₹1,868/quintal and ₹1,888/quintal for the higher grade. However, as the crop has been affected by heavy monsoon rains, the incentive amount will be paid to the paddy growers in Maharashtra.

Cotton procurement

In another significant development, the State Government has started cotton procurement centres in the state. In the first phase, the Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Federation will start procurement in 21 centres of the cotton-growing districts and 21 ginning mills from November 27, the statement said.

In the second phase, nine cotton procurement centres will be opened in the first week of December 2020 in districts of Beed, Parbhani and Jalgaon.

This year, cotton has been sown on 42.86 lakh hectares, and the total production is expected to be 450 lakh quintals.

The Cotton Corporation of India and the Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Federation have already made their procurement plans, the statement added.