<span style="color: #222222;">The government has said that over 310 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured during the Kharif Marketing Season, an increase of 18.78 per cent over last year.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Agriculture Ministry said, paddy procurement 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, Odisha and Maharashtra.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Out of the total purchase, Punjab alone has contributed over 202 lakh tonnes which is 65.24 per cent of total procurement. The Ministry said, more than 28 lakh 45 thousand farmers have already  benefitted from the  procurement Operations with Minimum Support Price value of 58 thousand 644 crore rupees.</span><br />''  <br />