Malda: The Malda district has set a target to procure more than 3 lakh metric tonnes of Aman paddy against support price using biometrics, as per the state government directives, for the safety of the farmers.
Only farmers and no one else can sell their crop to the government in this system. An Electronic Point of Purchase (EPoP) machine will be used in the centralised procurement centres (CPC). The purchasing of paddy has already started but once its harvesting starts in full swing from December, the procurement will be at its peak.
To stop others from selling crops against support price, biometric authentication, eye scanning and OTP in Aadhaar-linked mobile phones will be used for the identification of real farmers. Through this, one can sell their crop only through EPoP machines available at CPCs and mobile units where such identifications are done.
According to the Food and Food Supply department, a total of 3 lakh 36 thousand metric tonnes of paddy will be procured this season against support price.
The target may increase after fulfilling it. About 23 CPCs and 5 mobile units are already functional to collect the crop in Malda for the purpose.
Almost 100 quintals or 10 metric tonnes of paddy has been deposited by the farmers in different parts of the district but from December, the more the harvest, the more will be the paddy procured.
The support price for each quintal is Rs 2183 and a sum of Rs 20 will be added to this as an incentive for the farmers opting CPCs and mobile units to sell their crop to the government.
Further, a farmer can sell a maximum of 90 quintals provided he has adequate land to produce this much paddy else the quantity will be fixed as per quantum of land in acre owned by the farmer multiplied by productivity per acre.
Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: “The paddy procurement for the season has started as per government directives. We are keen on facilitating farmers with all the benefits slated for them by the government.”