Hyderabad, July 22 (RAHNUMA): In a significant decision aimed at safeguarding farmers’ interests, the Union government has approved the procurement of additional paddy from Telangana.
The Centre has given the green signal to increase the procurement target by 8 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice equivalent for the Rabi marketing season. With this revision, the Centre has fixed the rice procurement target from Telangana at 43 LMT, up from the earlier estimate of 35 LMT.
Meanwhile, Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar welcomed the Centre’s decision to procure additional rice from Telangana.
Union Minister Kishan Reddy said the decision reflected the Union government’s commitment to protecting the interests of Telangana’s farmers and was taken in response to representations made by BJP public representatives from the state.
He recalled that ahead of the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025–26, the Centre and the Telangana government had jointly decided, in the presence of officials from both governments, to procure 35 LMT of rice, equivalent to 52 LMT of paddy, from the state.
Considering the higher paddy production expected in Telangana this season, Kishan Reddy said that he, along with BJP MPs and MLAs from the state, met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on July 8 and urged him to enhance the rice procurement target for Telangana.
Responding positively to the request, the Union government decided to raise the procurement target from 35 LMT to 43 LMT of rice, equivalent to 64 LMT of paddy, he said.
Kishan Reddy urged the Telangana government to make full use of the Centre’s approval for the procurement of an additional 8 LMT of rice from the state, ensuring that farmers receive the intended benefits.
