A four-member Central team collected paddy samples from different Mandis under five blocks in Ganjam district in order to test them for relaxation of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) norm.
The team led by MP Ranade visited the district as per the proposal submitted by the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department for a relaxation in calculation of FAQ at the time of procurement.
As paddy crops were hit by drought, brow grasshopper attack and untimely rains one after another, the quality has been low. Hence, more relaxation should be given to farmers while calculation of FAQ during procurement, the Government had written in its letter to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment recently.
The State Government has suggested to give 23 per cent relaxatiofns while deducting husk from paddy for allocution of FAQ. Now, only five per cent such relaxation is being given to farmers nationally.
The team members said the collected samples would be tested at the FCI laboratory and a report on the same would be submitted to the Union Government.
“The Central team has come on the State Government’s request. The team would submit the report to the Center and the latter would take a decision regarding FAQ calculation,” said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surjya Narayan Patro.