Paddy procurement preparations reviewed

Kakinada: District Joint Collector Apoorva Bharat has directed officials to complete all advance arrangements within the stipulated time for smooth, transparent, and farmer-friendly paddy procurement during the Kharif 2026-27 season.

He reviewed the arrangements at a District Procurement Committee (DPC) meeting held at the Kakinada Collectorate on Wednesday. Officials from Agriculture, Civil Supplies, Cooperation, Legal Metrology, Marketing, Transport, FCI and APSWC, along with representatives of the Rice Millers Association, attended the meeting. Apoorva Bharat directed officials to equip the proposed procurement centres at Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs) and Paddy Procurement Centres (PPCs) with computers, printers, internet connectivity, weighing machines, moisture meters and other required infrastructure.

Officials were asked to inspect the centres personally before procurement begins and rectify any deficiencies. He instructed Agriculture and Cooperation officials to complete e-Crop, e-KYC and social audit processes within the prescribed time frame, ensuring there were no discrepancies in farmers’ Aadhaar, crop and variety details.

The joint collector ordered Legal Metrology officials to inspect weighbridges attached to rice mills and complete calibration and stamping. Regular inspections should be conducted to prevent irregularities in weighing, he said. He also directed officials to appoint adequate staff at procurement centres in advance and provide them with necessary training. GPS-enabled vehicles should be identified and linked to RSKs and PPCs to ensure timely transportation of procured paddy to rice mills.

Adequate gunny bags should be stocked in advance, while rice millers were asked to keep machinery, storage facilities, power supply and weighbridges ready. Labour and Civil Supplies officials were directed to ensure sufficient Hamalis were available at procurement centres.

The joint collector made it clear that rice millers should be tagged with RSKs only after submitting valid e-BGs and the prescribed MoUs. He said the government’s priority was to ensure that farmers faced no inconvenience during procurement.

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