Paddy Procurement Centre inaugurated at Village Marh

JAMMU: In line with the Government’s food policy that emphasizes farmers welfare and national food security, a Paddy Procurement Centre was inaugurated today at Village Marh, Sub-Division Marh by Member Legislative Assembly Marh Surinder Kumar, in the presence of a large number of enthusiastic farmers from the area.

The initiative aims to ensure that farmers receive fair and assured prices for their produce and to prevent distress sales by facilitating procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) prescribed by the Government of India for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025–26. The inaugural program was attended by Chief Agriculture Officer Jammu Manohar Lal Sharma; Subject Matter Specialist (DL) Rajeev Katoch; Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Khalid Hassan and zonal staff of the Agriculture Department.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA Surinder Kumar highlighted that the establishment of procurement centres closer to farmers’ fields will help reduce transportation costs and ensure timely sale and payment for their produce. He reiterated the government’s commitment to uplifting the farming community through transparent procurement systems and farmer-centric reforms.

Chief Agriculture Officer Jammu, Manohar Lal Sharma, in his address, stated that the Agriculture Department is working in close coordination with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ensure smooth procurement operations across the district. He urged farmers to bring their paddy to the designated centres and assured them of fair weighing, quality assessment and prompt payments under MSP norms.

Farmers present at the event expressed gratitude to the government and the Agriculture Department for opening the Paddy Procurement Centre in their vicinity, which they said would greatly benefit them by saving time, transportation expenses and ensuring guaranteed returns at MSP.