Kodagu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Venkat Raja chairing a meeting at his office recently said that rice procurement centres would be established in five locations within the district under the support price scheme from December 1.
He said that the open procurement centres will be opened on the APMC market premises in Madikeri, Kushalnagar, Gonikoppa, Somwarpet and Virajpet town. The price for the common rice varieties is set at Rs 2,300 per quintal and for ragi, it is Rs 4,290 per quintal, he added.
The DC further said that in accordance with the central government’s order, rice and ragi will be procured from farmers under the minimum support price scheme for the 2024-25 period starting December 1. The Karnataka State Agricultural Marketing Board has been appointed as the procurement agency for the district. The procurement process will be conducted through them. Farmers can deliver their rice at the respective registration centres. Based on demand, additional centres will be opened if necessary.
Graders should be appointed at the rice procurement centres to check the quality of rice. Proper storage and addressing technical issues in farmer registration should be ensured, the deputy commissioner said.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Joint Director Kumuda Sharath said farmers intending to sell rice must be already registered on the ‘FRUITS’ portal. If not registered, they should do so to sell their produce at the procurement centres. The amount for the procured rice will be directly credited to the farmers’ bank accounts. Farmers must provide their ‘FRUITS ID’ and NPCI-linked bank account details at the registration centre.
Facilities such as the services of the staff and data entry operators, computers, internet access, electricity and drinking water must be arranged at the registration centres, ,she said.
She said rice mill owners must install blending machines to produce fortified rice during milling.
