Thursday, 05 October 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Food and Civil Supplies minister Rekha Arya has appealed to all farmers to sell their Ragi crop only in the purchasing centres set up by the department in their respective areas. This is a new initiative by the government to sell Ragi this year across the State with the help of the department as part of their plan to promote the consumption of millet, said Arya.
She said that the purchasing centres have started buying Ragi crops from farmers from October 1. They can sell their crops in designated centres till December 31, 2023. Arya said that this year, the Central government has set a target of 1.26 lakh metric tonnes for the production of Ragi in the Kharif procurement season 2023-24. The minimum support price of Ragi has been fixed at Rs 3,846 per quintal.
Besides this, the government has also set the target of procurement of paddy in this Kharif procurement season at about 8.96 lakh metric tonnes. She said that all officials have been directed to pay charges for every farmer’s crop within 72 hours of purchasing their crop. The department has warned to take strict action against those who will not comply with the orders. “I have also directed the officials concerned to encourage farmers in their respective areas to sell their Ragi crops in government’s purchasing centres,” said Arya.
She said that selling Ragi crops this year via the Food and Civil Supplies department is a new initiative to promote millet consumption in the State and the country. She said that higher consumption of millets will motivate farmers to increase their production which will help them to sustain a good life, especially those living in mountainous areas. “I am optimistic that migration will stop from our mountainous districts in future after millet production and consumption increases in the State and other parts of the country,” added Arya.
