Assam achieves all-time high paddy procurement at 7 lakh MT Himanta

     Guwahati, Jul 1 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the state has recorded the highest-ever paddy procurement by purchasing nearly seven lakh metric tonnes of the foodgrain, more than two-fold jump as compared to the previous season.

     "We are proud to announce the successful conclusion of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024 25 with a record paddy procurement of 6.97 lakh MT -- the highest ever!" Sarma said in a post on X.

     The state had procured just 3.14 lakh MT during the 2023-24 KMS, he added.

     In KMS 2022 23, the paddy procurement had stood at 5.92 lakh MT, the CM said.

     "This remarkable achievement reflects our commitment to ensuring that our farmers are connected to markets and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) they rightfully deserve," Sarma said.

     Last month, the chief minister said the state had set a target of procuring 5,85,500 MT of paddy during the 2024-25 KMS.

     Sarma also said that Assam's agricultural products are catering to the global market due to their high quality and nutrient-rich content.

     "Recently, farmers from Majuli expanded their reach to Middle East and EU markets as they exported 267 MT of Red Rice -- earning higher profits & establishing Brand Assam," he said in a separate post.

     The red rice was produced originally in over 1,000 hectares of land in Majuli, the world's largest river island and located in the Brahmaputra, the CM said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)