<span style="color: #222222;">Paddy procurement for the current Kharif season is progressing smoothly with purchase of over 344.86 Lakh Metric Tonnes of paddy as against corresponding purchase of 282.66 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT) last year. This is an increase of 22 percent over last year. Out of the total purchase of 344.86 LMT, Punjab alone has purchased 202.77 LMT till the close of procurement season in the state on 30th November which is 58.79 percent of total procurement in the country.<br />''<br />''About 35.03 lakh farmers have already benefitted from the ongoing procurement operations with Minimum Support Price value of 65111.34 crore rupees.</span><br />