Hans News Service Vijayawada

Thestate government has emerged as a national leader in paddy procurement by implementing farmer-friendly reforms that have significantly improved transparency, efficiency, and payment speed, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Nadendla Manohar said on Thursday.

Speaking at a two-year review meeting on paddy procurement held here, the minister said the coalition government, under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, has introduced transformative changes in the procurement system to ensure greater confidence among farmers.

He said the state procured a record 74 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in its second year, compared to 42 lakh metric tonnes during the previous government. Paddy worth Rs 31,000 crore was purchased, benefiting 11.53 lakh farmers, with 95 per cent of payments credited to farmers’ bank accounts within 24 hours.

The minister spoke of several technology-driven initiatives, including QR codes on every paddy bag, Track-and-Trace systems, and WhatsApp-based farmer registration, which have enhanced transparency. He added that from the coming Kharif season, gunny bags will be made available at Rythu Seva Kendras, while transportation charges will be reimbursed within 48 hours.

To ensure uniformity in quality assessment, the government is installing standardised moisture meters of the same make and model across the state, with 90 percent of the work already completed.

Civil supplies special chief secretary K Kannababu said the reforms have made the procurement process faster and more transparent, while urging rice millers to work closely with farmers.

Civil supplies commissioner Dilli Rao noted that paddy procurement had increased by 74 percent compared to 2023-24, attributing the achievement to the coordinated efforts of officials, district administrations, rice millers, and transport agencies.

FCI regional general manager Vijay Kumar Yadav praised AP’s procurement reforms, stating that the state’s QR code-based tracking system and improved rice procurement model are now being recognised as best practices for adoption across the country.

The minister also interacted with farmers during the meeting, assuring them that issues related to procurement and banking would be taken up with the Chief Minister for resolution. Officials and district teams who excelled in paddy procurement were felicitated on the occasion.