Telangana Government Ensures Smooth and Record-Breaking Paddy Procurement: Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy

Gadwal: Telangana State Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that the paddy procurement process must be carried out smoothly and efficiently, ensuring that farmers do not face any inconvenience. On Friday, the minister, along with State Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, conducted a video conference with district collectors from Hyderabad to review the ongoing paddy procurement process.

During the conference, the minister stressed that procurement should proceed uninterrupted despite the unseasonal rains. He directed officials to ensure the availability of tarpaulins at procurement centers to protect the harvested paddy from moisture damage. He further instructed that all required logistical and infrastructure arrangements be made to transport the procured paddy promptly to rice mills. The minister also insisted that immediate payment be made to farmers for the procured paddy, and urged district collectors to monitor field-level operations closely.

District Collector BM Santhosh Updates Progress

Jogulamba Gadwal District Collector B.M. Santhosh provided an update during the meeting, stating that the procurement process is being conducted smoothly and transparently without any irregularities. He estimated that a record-breaking 1.38 lakh metric tonnes of paddy is expected from the district this season.

So far, 50,000 metric tonnes have already been procured, and payments have been credited directly to farmers' bank accounts without delay. An additional 88,000 metric tonnes remain to be collected. He compared this year’s figures with the previous year, when only 2,109 metric tonnes of paddy were procured in the district by May 15, 2024, and Rs. 5.65 crore was paid to farmers.

In contrast, this year, as of May 15, 2025, 50,834 metric tonnes have been procured, and Rs. 55.89 lakh has already been disbursed to the farmers. Collector Santhosh highlighted that the influx of paddy at procurement centers indicates a massive 2,500% increase in procurement compared to the previous year. He assured that the government is committed to purchasing every single grain of paddy brought by farmers.

Officials Participating in the Video Conference

The video conference was attended by District Additional Collectors Lakshminarayana and Narsing Rao, District Civil Supplies Manager Vimala, District Cooperative Officer Srinivas, District Marketing Officer Pushpamma, Agriculture Officer Sakriya Naik, and several other key officials.

This comprehensive initiative underscores the Telangana government's commitment to supporting farmers by ensuring a smooth procurement process, timely payments, and strong logistical support amidst challenging weather conditions.