Cabinet to decide mode of paddy procurement and price

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 5 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said a decision on the mode of paddy procurement and fixing its price would be taken at the next Cabinet meeting.

After a meeting with the Ministers for Agiculture and Food and Civil Supplies, officials and 'padasekhara committees', for deciding the mode of paddy procurement and fixing its price, he said that as the commencement of paddy procurment was dealyed, the farmers had not got full benefits last year.

Mr Achuthanandan said that to avoid the delay and getting a better price for paddy farmers, a decision would be taken before harvesting.

The suggestions put forward by 'padasekara committes' that the procurement would be entrusted with cooperative societies, he said the matter would be discussed with the Minister for Cooperation.

However, the Civil Supplies Corporation would also procure paddy wherever societies were not functioning properly, he said, adding this year, mill owners would be excluded from paddy procurement.

The Chief Minister said rice would be distributed through the Civil Supplies Coporation outlets after dehusking it.

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