NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government on Thursday raised the assured price of paddy by Rs 2 per kg, to Rs 25 per kg, to address
the burden of higher labour and other input costs faced by farmers. The assured
price was previously Rs 22 per kg and was last revised in July 2023.
The assured price of paddy in the state will be based on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of the Union government. Under the new policy, the price will be revised by the agriculture department at the start of each cropping season based on the MSP. The revision will be Rs 2 per kg over and above the MSP.
“If the fixed assured price arises in a fraction of a rupee, then it will be rounded to the nearest higher rupee,” states the notification signed by agriculture director Sandeep Phal Dessai.
It adds that the state
will implement the revised assured price (based on
the MSP) after obtaining administrative approval of
the government at the
beginning of each cropping season.
A farmer will be entitled to assistance for a maximum of 15,000 kg per season for paddy cultivation at the rate of 5,000 kg per hectare. Farmers cultivating paddy in both seasons will be entitled to assistance for both seasons, limited to 15,000 kg per season. The minimum quantity required to be sold by a farmer to avail of the benefit shall not be less than 100 kg.
The new assured price is applicable for the paddy produce of the rabi 2024–25 season and payable from April 1 this year.
Goa’s rice production was 94,611 tonnes in 2023–24, up from 88,400 tonnes in 2022–23, over a total area of 32,347 hectares.
The three talukas of Salcete, Bardez, and Tiswadi together account for 47 per cent of the production.
About 70 per cent of the cultivation is during the ongoing monsoon (kharif) season.
