Bhubaneswar, Nov 25: Odisha government on Tuesday revised the Paddy procurement policy in view of the drought situation which has affected crops in 173 blocks across the state.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department is understood to have reduced paddy procurement targets in the affected blocks. A letter from the department secretary to the district collectors revealed that in regions where there have been 40% crop loss, the stipulated productivity rate will be assumed as 33% lower or 8 quintals per acre.
As per earlier calculation, the production was pegged at 12 quintals per acre for non-irrigated land. Based on this revised calculation, the paddy will be procured from the said area.
In a similar manner, the department has revised the targets keeping in mind four different scenarios based on the extent of crop loss. According to the new guidelines, if the crop loss is less than 33%, there will be no revision to the productivity rate from the land.
For 34-50% crop loss, productivity rate will be assumed at 33% lower than normal; for crop loss between 51 to 66%, 50% lower and for crop loss between 67-100 %, production will be considered at 66% lower than normal.
