New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS): Goverment agencies have purchased over 600 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at MSP from the farmers across the country so far in the current Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, while the procurement process is still going on in several states, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in a statement on Tuesday.

Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring states and Union Territories of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal with the purchase of over 604.03 LMT of paddy as on February 1, the statement said. This is an increase of 17.89 per cent against last year's corresponding purchase of 512.36 LMT.

Out of the total purchase of 604.03 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 33.57 per cent of the total procurement.

About 88.08 Lakh farmers have already been benefitted by the ongoing KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 1,14,041.90 crore, said the Ministry.

As on February 1, the government through its nodal agencies has procured 3,06,198.80 MT of moong, urad, tur, groundnut pods and soyabean having MSP value of Rs 1,647.23 crore benefitting 1,65,522 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan, said the statement.

Procurement operations of seed cotton (kapas) under MSP are going on smoothly in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka.

Till February 1, 90,08,018 cotton bales valued at Rs 26,343.72 crore have been procured, benefitting 18,57,566 farmers, as per the statement.