New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) The Centre has procured 606.19 lakh tonne of paddy in the ongoing 2021-22 marketing season so far, with maximum quantities being purchased from Punjab, the Union Food Ministry said on Monday.

Also Read | Realme 9 Pro Price in India & Specifications Leaked Online: Report.

"Till now, about 77 lakh farmers have been benefited with the minimum support price (MSP) value of Rs 1,18,812.56 crore," the ministry said in a statement.

Also Read | Google Cloud To Open New Office in Pune Later This Year.

Of the total procurement, 186.85 lakh tonne of paddy has been procured from Punjab, followed by 82.62 lakh tonne from Chhattisgarh, 69.08 lakh tonne from Telangana, 55.30 lakh tonne from Haryana and 56.49 lakh tonne from Uttar Pradesh till January 23 of the ongoing marketing season.

The paddy marketing season begins from October and runs through September.

During the 2020-21 marketing season, the government procured 895.83 lakh tonne of paddy at a MSP value of Rs 1,69,133.26 crore.

The government undertakes procurement operations through state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) as well as state agencies.

The government buys largely paddy and wheat to protect farmers with MSP as well as use the procured grains for distribution through ration shops to poor beneficiaries registered under the National Food Security Act at highly subsidized rates.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)