The East Godavari district administration is gearing up to kick off paddy procurement for the Kharif season, with the first purchases expected to start as early as the first week of October. Harvesting activities across the region are expected to pick up pace by around October 10, with initial early harvests already beginning in several locales including Nidadavole, Peravali, Devarapalli, Gopalapuram, and Kovvuru.
Farmers are finding ways to maximize their earnings, with many choosing to sell their crops directly to rice millers instead of waiting for government support prices. This alternative has allowed them to negotiate prices even higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), demonstrating the changing dynamics of the local agricultural economy. Though the moisture content of the harvested paddy hovers around 25%, rice millers have still been actively purchasing it, responding to the current market conditions.
More standard paddy varieties will begin their harvesting phases mid-October, and the district administration is preparing to open up 220 paddy purchasing centers by October 4 to facilitate this process. While state officials have yet to confirm specific procurement targets, estimates suggest the civil supplies department could invest around 2.30 lakh metric tonnes for this season. This projection indicates the significant scale at which local agriculture operates.
East Godavari District Agriculture Officer M. Madhava Rao has indicated the extent of paddy cultivation, with around 70,000 hectares dedicated to this staple crop, pointing to expected yields of approximately 4.42 lakh metric tonnes for this Kharif season. The most popular varieties under cultivation currently include MTU 7029 (also known as Swarna, contributing 30% of the area), PL 1100 (B.Masuri at 20%), as well as MTU 1318 (an alternative to Swarna at 18%), BPT (5%), and Sampada Srushti (13%). Encouraging reports have emerged about satisfactory yields across these varieties, bolstering farmers' hopes for the season.
M. Naganjaneyulu, the district civil supplies officer, ensured the community is well-equipped for the upcoming procurement phase. With 57.72 lakh gunny bags already channeled for distribution, farmers can expect to receive these through identified rice mills without incurring any associated costs. A total of 137 rice mills have been marked for custom milling operations, presenting farmers with the freedom to select mills according to their preferences. This flexibility is seen as a positive shift when compared to previous procurement efforts.
Officials noted the challenges farmers faced under prior administrative measures, which hampered their ability to efficiently identify suitable rice mills for selling their paddy. The current government has taken steps to amend procurement protocols, aiming to create more accommodating conditions for both farmers and millers. This policy change is timely, as it coincides with hopes of rice millers purchasing paddy at prices above the stipulated MSP, prompted by the government restricting ration rice purchases catered to the impoverished, thereby increasing demand for farmers' produce.
For farmers gearing up for this season, the message is clear: the administration is committed to minimizing hassles during the procurement process. With the expected crop yields and changes made to facilitate smoother operations, many hope this season will see both economic benefits for farmers and successful procurement by the government, fostering growth for the agricultural community within East Godavari district.
