All the four provinces have agreed on the proposed paddy procurement plan for 2009-10 and the ECC is likely to approve the said plan in its meeting scheduled for October 6, Ministry of Food and Agriculture spokesman Qadir Bux Baloch told Business Recorder.
He said out of total one million tones to be procured by the government, provinces would procure 60 percent while the federal government would procure 40 percent paddy. To a question, he said that this year Pakistan has produced 100 maunds per acre Irri rice due to quality seed while previously it was producing only 40 maunds per acre. He said farmers are receiving Rs 600 for per mound of Irri Rice.
He said intervention price of Basmati Super is Rs 1250 per 40 kg, Basmati-385 Rs 1000 per 40 kg and Irri-6 Rs 600 per 40 kg. Meanwhile, a meeting was convened by Ministry of Food and Agriculture here on Friday regarding the procurement of paddy for 2009-10. The meeting discussed the mechanism and procurement of paddy by the provinces and PASSCO at the proportion of 60:40 percent, respectively. After detailed discussion it was decided that the matter should be considered in the next meeting of ECC scheduled for October 06.