In the ongoing kharif marketing season 2020-21, the government has procured 651 lakh tonnes of paddy at MSP from farmers which is 16 per cent higher than the previous season, according to official figures released on Saturday.

Punjab alone has contributed 202.82 lakh metric tonnes which constitutes 31.15 per cent of the total procurement, an official statement said.

The government said it is continuing to procure crops in accordance with existing schemes that are in place, as was done in previous seasons. About 93.93 lac farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing procurement MSP operations in which agricultural produce to the tune of Rs 1,22,923 crore has been purchased.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring states and union territories of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tripura with purchase of over 651.07 lakh metric tonnes of paddy up to February 19.

This is an increase of 15.91 per cent against the last year corresponding purchase of 561.67 lakh metric tonnes, the official statement added.